Category Formula One Designer(s) Mark Smith
Rob Taylor Successor RB3 | Constructor Red Bull Predecessor RB1 | |
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Chassis carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite structure | ||
The Red Bull RB2 is the car with which the Red Bull Racing team competed in the 2006 Formula One season. It was driven by David Coulthard and Christian Klien, who had both driven for the team in its debut year, 2005. However, Klien was replaced after the Italian GP by third driver Robert Doornbos after the Austrian refused the team's offer of a ChampCar seat for 2007 once it became apparent that he was going to be replaced by Mark Webber for the next season.
The year was treated as a consolidation season and proved to be a traditionally tough second year for a new team. The new Ferrari engines caused cooling problems pre-season which saw testing time limited, and for the most part the team were bogged down in the midfield. This situation was exacerbated by RBR abandoning development on the RB2 during the season to let new Chief Designer Adrian Newey concentrate on 2007's challenger.
The RB2's livery was similar to that of the preceding RB1.
However, there were still highlights in a largely depressing season. Foremost among these was Coulthard scoring the team's first podium at Monaco. As this coincided with a one-race deal to promote the new Superman film, the veteran driver wore a red cape on the podium, and Team Principal Christian Horner later honoured a pre-race promise of jumping into the team's pool wearing nothing but one of the capes.
The team eventually finished seventh in the Constructors' Championship, with 16 points.
Complete Formula One results
(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)