This is supposed to be the era of manufacturer-led Formula 1. A sport dominated by the mega-buck operations set up by vast global entities such as Toyota and Honda, to promote their brands and boost their reputations in markets stretching from the US to China.
Yet it is one of F1’s few remaining independents making the biggest wave at the moment. Fuelled by seemingly bottomless reserves of marketing dosh, Red Bull Racing has in one fell swoop become a genuine contender for future F1 glory by coaxing superstar aerodynamicist Adrian Newey away from McLaren and into the energy drinks emporium.
