Webber: Red Bull would get more praise for F1 success if it was a manufacturer

Red Bull celebrated its 100th F1 world championship race win with Max Verstappen’s victory in the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix – an achievement only four other teams (Ferrari, McLaren, Williams and Mercedes) have scored in the competition’s 73-year history. 

By achieving that feat in a 14-year period since Sebastian Vettel won the 2009 Chinese GP ahead of his then team-mate Webber, Red Bull is officially the quickest F1 marque to rack up 100 wins, with Williams the next best in hitting 100 wins in 18 years from 1979-1997. 

Red Bull, McLaren and Williams have all been in effect factory-backed teams at certain stages of their histories, with Red Bull now set to produce its own engines in conjunction with Ford from 2026. 

But, particularly during the early years of its so-far 18-year stint as an F1 entrant, Red Bull struggled to shake off a reputation as being little more than a ‘party team’ thanks to its owner being an energy drink company with a penchant for organising brash marketing campaigns and events. 

This has changed massively since Red Bull began winning in 2009 – one season after Vettel won for its junior team, then called Toro Rosso at the 2008 Italian GP – and particularly since its decision to hire Adrian Newey from 2006 led to a dominant run to four championships in four years from 2010-2013, a position it has now returned too with Max Verstappen leading the team. 

Webber reckons Red Bull’s tale is “one of the great success stories of Formula 1 – has to be”. 

“If it was a manufacturer, it might get some more praise and notoriety,” the nine-time F1 race winner, Red Bull driver from 2007-2013, and now TV pundit and Oscar Piastri’s manager, told Motorsport.com. 

Mark Webber interviews pole man Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, after Qualifying

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

“Because, in essence, it’s still a team made of tremendous individuals and people that have done a great job to engineer beautiful Formula 1 cars for world championships with constructors’ and drivers’ [titles], and to be dominant in many ways.  

“So, I think that their ability to be able to do that has been a great success story.  

“And what they’ve put into the sport in that area – like in terms of their staff, the infrastructure at Milton Keynes, what they’ve done – has been a testament to them.  

“And the sheer commitment that they show – their employees and the people and to the sport – I’m not going to say it’s second to none but it’s pretty bloody [good].  

“We’ve had a lot of people come and go.  

“And these guys what they’ve done – with two teams. People forget about the level of employment that Red Bull has put into the sport is truly extraordinary.”