Red Bull Junior Team
Encyclopedia
The Red Bull Junior Team is a program run by the energy drink company Red Bull GmbH
Red Bull GmbH
Red Bull GmbH is an Austrian company which sells the Red Bull energy drink. In 2010, more than 4.204 billion cans were sold in over 161 countries. 7,758 employees generated 3.78 billion euros in revenue...

 in an attempt to identify potential future racing stars in open wheel racing. The similar Red Bull Driver Search, now ended, was an American spinoff of the same idea. Members of the Junior Team are financed and sponsored by Red Bull in lower racing formulae.

The programs have been successful in bringing a selection of drivers into Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...

. However, only one of them (Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel is a German Formula One racing driver, currently driving for Red Bull Racing. He is the current World Champion, having won the championship in and ....

) has won a Formula One race. Red Bull owns two teams in Formula One, Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Racing is a Formula One racing team based in Milton Keynes, England which currently holds an Austrian licence. It is, along with Scuderia Toro Rosso, one of two teams owned by beverage company Red Bull GmbH. The team have won two Constructors' Championship titles, in and , becoming the...

 and Scuderia Toro Rosso
Scuderia Toro Rosso
Scuderia Toro Rosso , also known simply as Toro Rosso or by its abbreviation STR, is an Italian Formula One racing team...

.

The Red Bull Junior Team was also the official name of RSM Marko, a team that competed in International Formula 3000 between 1999 and 2003, sponsored by Red Bull and run by Helmut Marko
Helmut Marko
Dr. Helmut Marko is a former racing driver from Austria.A friend of Jochen Rindt, he entered racing, and eventually participated in 10 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 15 August 1971...

.

Red Bull Junior Team

The Red Bull Junior Team was formed in 2001 as Red Bull's European driver programme. Red Bull offers funding and support for the promising young drivers that are part of the programme. In 2004, Christian Klien
Christian Klien
Christian Klien is an Austrian former Formula One racing driver. In total he has scored 14 points in Formula One.Klien currently drives for Aston Martin Racing in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup-Racing career:...

 became the first Red Bull Junior to race in Formula One, while in 2008, Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel is a German Formula One racing driver, currently driving for Red Bull Racing. He is the current World Champion, having won the championship in and ....

 became the first Red Bull Junior to win a Formula One Grand Prix, the Italian Grand Prix
2008 Italian Grand Prix
The 2008 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on September 14, 2008 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy. It was the 14th race of the 2008 Formula One season. The race, contested over 53 laps, was won by Sebastian Vettel for the Toro Rosso team after starting...

.
Driver Years Driver Years
  Mikhail Aleshin
Mikhail Aleshin
-Career:Aleshin competed in karting from 1996 to 2000. Since 2001 he has taken part in various international open wheel series. On April 14, 2007 he became the first Russian driver to win a major international single-seater race when he won the opening round of the Formula Renault 3.5 Series season...

2005–09   Filipe Albuquerque
Filipe Albuquerque
Filipe Miguel Delgadinho Albuquerque is a Portuguese race car driver, currently driving in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters.- Career :...

2007
  Jaime Alguersuari
Jaime Alguersuari
Jaime Víctor Alguersuari Escudero , is a Spanish racing driver who became the youngest Formula One driver to start a Grand Prix in history at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix. Alguersuari is the first driver to be born in the 1990s to compete in Formula One....

2007–09   Michael Ammermüller
Michael Ammermüller
Michael Ammermüller is a race car driver born in Pocking, Germany on February 14, 1986.-Career:In 2004 he drove the number three car in German Formula Renault, as well as competing in Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup...

2007
  Pedro Bianchini
Pedro Bianchini
-Career:Despite beginning his karting career in 2002, 2007 saw his debut in the Formula BMW ADAC championship with ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg, and as a member of the Red Bull Junior Team. Bianchini finished sixteenth in the championship and ninth in the Rookie Cup....

2007   Mirko Bortolotti
Mirko Bortolotti
Mirko Bortolotti is an Italian racing driver currently leading the FIA Formula Two Championship.-Italian series:...

2009
  Sébastien Buemi
Sébastien Buemi
Sébastien Olivier Buemi is a Swiss racing driver, who competes for Scuderia Toro Rosso in Formula One.-Formula BMW:...

2007–08   Karun Chandhok 2008
  Stefano Coletti
Stefano Coletti
Stefano Coletti is a professional racing driver from Monaco.-Karting:Coletti enjoyed a successful karting career prior to moving into single-seater racing...

2007–08   Tom Dillmann
Tom Dillmann
Tom Dillmann is a French racing driver. He has competed in such series as Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0, the Formula 3 Euroseries, the Italian Formula 3 and won the German Formula 3 in 2010.-Career:...

2007–08
  John Edwards
John Edwards (racing driver)
John Michael Edwards is an American racing driver.Edwards began racing cars at the young age of 12 in 2003 in the Skip Barber Series...

2007   Brendon Hartley
Brendon Hartley
Brendon Hartley is a New Zealand race car driver.-Career:Hartley was born in a family well integrated within motorsport. His father, Bryan, had raced in many forms of motorsport, most notably Formula Atlantic. At the age of six, Hartley began his motor racing career in kart racing, following his...

2007–10
  Neel Jani
Neel Jani
Neel Jani is a Swiss race car driver of Indian origin. He has achieved his greatest success driving for A1 Team Switzerland in A1 Grand Prix, helping them win the 2007-2008 title and finishing runner-up in 2005-06 and 2008-09. He has been also a GP2 Series race-winner and Formula One tester...

2007   Daniel Juncadella
Daniel Juncadella
Daniel Juncadella Pérez-Sala is a Spanish racing driver.-Karting:Juncadella began his motorsport career in karting in 2004, finishing 21st in the Copa Campeones Trophy Junior. He also finished 32nd in the Andrea Margutti Trophy ICA Junior class.-Master Junior Formula:Juncadella began his formula...

2008–09
  Daniil Kvyat
Daniil Kvyat
Daniil Kvyat is a Russian auto racing driver. Currently he lives with family at Rome, Italy. He is fluent in four languages: English, Spanish, Italian, Russian.-Karting:Kvyat has been an active kart racer in Russia and Italy...

2010–11   Mika Mäki
Mika Mäki
Mika Mäki is a Finnish racing driver.- Career :Mika started in karting, and competed for five years before heading to Germany and its Formula BMW ADAC series in 2005, finishing fourth in the Rookie Cup, and took his first victory at the Norisring...

2007–09
  Kevin Mirocha
Kevin Mirocha
Kevin Mirocha is a German racing driver.- Formula BMW :Despite beginning his karting career in 2001, 2007 saw his debut in the Formula BMW ADAC championship with ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg...

2007   Daniel Morad
Daniel Morad
Daniel Morad is a Canadian racecar driver currently competing in the Atlantic Championship with Italian team EuroInternational. He is notable for winning the 2007 American Formula BMW championship....

2007
  Oliver Oakes
Oliver Oakes
Oliver Oakes is a British motor racing driver, and was the 2005 World Karting champion, the highest category for kart racing...

2007   Edoardo Piscopo
Edoardo Piscopo
- Formula BMW :After previously competing in karting, Piscopo began his single seater career in Formula BMW USA in 2005, where he finished fifth with three wins for EuroInternational.- Formula Renault :...

2007
  Niall Quinn
Niall Quinn (racing driver)
Niall Quinn is an Irish motor racing driver, currently living in County Meath, Ireland.- Early career :1999- 3rd place in Irish Karting Championship in Cadet2000- 1st place in Irish Karting Championship in Cadet...

2006   Daniel Ricciardo
Daniel Ricciardo
Daniel Ricciardo is an Australian racing driver currently competing in Formula 1 for Hispania Racing. He won the British Formula Three Championship in 2009.-Formula Ford and Formula BMW:...

2008–11
  Carlos Sainz, Jr.
Carlos Sainz, Jr.
Carlos Sainz, Jr is a Spanish racing driver and the son of former World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz. Backed by energy drinks company Red Bull, Sainz Jr will race in British F3 for multiple champions Carlin in 2012. -Karting:...

2010–11   Jean-Éric Vergne
Jean-Eric Vergne
Jean-Éric Vergne is a professional racing driver from France. He was the 2010 British Formula Three champion.-Karting:...

2008–11
  Jean Karl Vernay
Jean Karl Vernay
Jean-Karl "J.K." Vernay is a French race car driver.-Karting:*2000 : 3rd in France Cadet Championship*2001 : 5th in Speedy junior world Cup in Paris Bercy*2002 : 2nd in Monaco kart cup...

2007–08   Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel is a German Formula One racing driver, currently driving for Red Bull Racing. He is the current World Champion, having won the championship in and ....

2007
  Robert Wickens
Robert Wickens
Robert Tyler Wickens is a Canadian racing driver, currently driving in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series. In 2009 he finished in second place in the FIA Formula Two Championship, and in 2010 he was runner-up in the GP3 Series...

2007, 2009   Adrian Zaugg
Adrian Zaugg
Adrian Zaugg is a South African race car driver.-Complete A1 Grand Prix results: -Complete GP2 Series results:...

2007


The scheme has been successful, with several of the drivers backed by Red Bull making it into Formula One:
  • Enrique Bernoldi
    Enrique Bernoldi
    Enrique Antônio Langue e Silvério de Bernoldi is a Brazilian racing driver who raced for the Arrows Formula One team...

     — raced for Arrows
    Arrows
    Arrows Grand Prix International was a British Formula One team active from to . For a period of time, it was also known as Footwork.-Origins :...

     and was briefly a test driver for British American Racing
    British American Racing
    British American Racing was a Formula One constructor that competed in the sport from 1999 to 2005. BAR began by acquiring Tyrrell, and used Supertec engines for their first year...

    .
  • Karun Chandhok – raced for the HRT F1 Team in 2010 and is currently a reserve driver for Team Lotus.
  • Robert Doornbos
    Robert Doornbos
    Robert Michael Doornbos is a Dutch racing driver. He has been test and third driver for the Jordan and Red Bull Racing Formula One teams, as well as driving for Minardi and Red Bull Racing in 2005 and 2006. Doornbos then drove for Minardi Team USA in the 2007 and final season of the Champ Car...

     – raced for Minardi
    Minardi
    Minardi was an automobile racing team and constructor founded in 1979 by Giancarlo Minardi. It competed in the Formula One World Championship from 1985 until 2005 with little success, nevertheless acquiring a loyal following of fans...

     and Red Bull Racing
    Red Bull Racing
    Red Bull Racing is a Formula One racing team based in Milton Keynes, England which currently holds an Austrian licence. It is, along with Scuderia Toro Rosso, one of two teams owned by beverage company Red Bull GmbH. The team have won two Constructors' Championship titles, in and , becoming the...

    .
  • Patrick Friesacher
    Patrick Friesacher
    Patrick Friesacher is an Austrian racing driver who drove for the Minardi Formula One team during the first half of the 2005 season.-Early career:...

     — raced for Minardi
    Minardi
    Minardi was an automobile racing team and constructor founded in 1979 by Giancarlo Minardi. It competed in the Formula One World Championship from 1985 until 2005 with little success, nevertheless acquiring a loyal following of fans...

    .
  • Narain Karthikeyan
    Narain Karthikeyan
    Kumar Ram Narain Karthikeyan , is the first Formula One motor racing driver from India. He has previously competed in A1GP, and the Le Mans Series. He made his Formula One debut in with the Jordan team, and was a WilliamsF1 test driver in and...

     — raced for Jordan
    Jordan Grand Prix
    Jordan Grand Prix was a Formula One constructor that competed from 1991 to 2005. The team is named after Irish businessman and founder Eddie Jordan...

     and was a test driver for Williams
    WilliamsF1
    Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, trading as AT&T Williams, is a British Formula One motor racing team and constructor. It was founded and run by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head...

     between 2006–2008. Currently driver for HRT F1 Team.
  • Christian Klien
    Christian Klien
    Christian Klien is an Austrian former Formula One racing driver. In total he has scored 14 points in Formula One.Klien currently drives for Aston Martin Racing in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup-Racing career:...

     — raced for Jaguar Racing
    Jaguar Racing
    Jaguar Racing was a Formula One team that competed in the FIA Formula One World Championship from 2000 to 2004. It was formed from the purchase by Ford of Jackie Stewart's Stewart Grand Prix Formula One team in June 1999. Ford renamed the team Jaguar Racing as part of its global marketing...

     and Red Bull Racing
    Red Bull Racing
    Red Bull Racing is a Formula One racing team based in Milton Keynes, England which currently holds an Austrian licence. It is, along with Scuderia Toro Rosso, one of two teams owned by beverage company Red Bull GmbH. The team have won two Constructors' Championship titles, in and , becoming the...

    , and is now a test driver for HRT F1 Team.
  • Vitantonio Liuzzi
    Vitantonio Liuzzi
    Vitantonio "Tonio" Liuzzi is an Italian race driver who is currently racing in Formula One for the HRT F1 Team. He has homes in Lugano, Switzerland and Pescara, Italy.-Karting:...

     — raced for Red Bull Racing
    Red Bull Racing
    Red Bull Racing is a Formula One racing team based in Milton Keynes, England which currently holds an Austrian licence. It is, along with Scuderia Toro Rosso, one of two teams owned by beverage company Red Bull GmbH. The team have won two Constructors' Championship titles, in and , becoming the...

    , Scuderia Toro Rosso
    Scuderia Toro Rosso
    Scuderia Toro Rosso , also known simply as Toro Rosso or by its abbreviation STR, is an Italian Formula One racing team...

     and Force India
    Force India
    Sahara Force India Formula One Team, the trading name of Force India Formula One Team Limited, is a Formula One racing team based in Silverstone, United Kingdom which currently holds an Indian licence. The team was formed in October 2007 when a consortium led by Indian businessman Vijay Mallya and...

    , at one stage attracted the attention of Ferrari
    Scuderia Ferrari
    Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....

     after dominant performances in Formula 3000, and is now the driver for the HRT F1 Team.
  • Sebastian Vettel
    Sebastian Vettel
    Sebastian Vettel is a German Formula One racing driver, currently driving for Red Bull Racing. He is the current World Champion, having won the championship in and ....

     – currently a Red Bull Racing
    Red Bull Racing
    Red Bull Racing is a Formula One racing team based in Milton Keynes, England which currently holds an Austrian licence. It is, along with Scuderia Toro Rosso, one of two teams owned by beverage company Red Bull GmbH. The team have won two Constructors' Championship titles, in and , becoming the...

     driver, race winner, and 2010 FIA Formula One World Drivers' Champion
    2010 Formula One season
    The 2010 Formula One season was the 61st Formula One season of World Championship motor racing competition. Red Bull Racing won its maiden Constructors' Championship with a one-two finish in Brazil, while Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel won the Drivers' Championship after winning the final race...

    , replacing David Coulthard
    David Coulthard
    David Marshall Coulthard, MBE, , sometimes known as DC, is a British former Formula One racing driver from Scotland.Coulthard, who was born in Dumfries and raised nearby in Twynholm, made his Formula One debut in 1994 and won 13 Grands Prix in a career spanning 15 seasons...

    . Previously was a test driver for BMW Sauber
    BMW Sauber
    BMW has been involved in Formula One in a number of capacities since the inauguration of the World Drivers' Championship in . The company entered occasional races in the 1950s and 1960s , before building the BMW M12/13 inline-four turbocharged engine in the 1980s...

    , and raced for Carlin Motorsport
    Carlin Motorsport
    Carlin, formerly Carlin Motorsport, is a motor racing team based in the United Kingdom. It competes in four championships — British Formula Three Championship, GP3 Series, World Series by Renault and GP2 Series.-History:...

     in the World Series by Renault
    World Series by Renault
    The World Series by Renault, formerly the World Series by Nissan from 1998 to 2004, is a motor racing series. The series consists of the flagship Formula Renault 3.5 Series , the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 and the Eurocup Mégane Trophy...

     in 2007.
  • Scott Speed
    Scott Speed
    Scott Andrew Speed is an American race car driver. Formerly a driver for the Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 team, he made his Formula One race debut at the 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix; becoming the first American to race in F1 since Michael Andretti in 1993...

     – raced for Scuderia Toro Rosso
    Scuderia Toro Rosso
    Scuderia Toro Rosso , also known simply as Toro Rosso or by its abbreviation STR, is an Italian Formula One racing team...

     in 2006 and 2007. Raced the #82 Red Bull Racing Team Toyota Camry
    Toyota Camry
    The Toyota Camry is a series of mid-size automobiles manufactured by Toyota since 1982, and sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world...

     in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series before being released by Red Bull after the 2010 season
    2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
    The 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season was the 62nd season of professional stock car racing in the United States. Beginning at Daytona International Speedway, the season included 36 races and two exhibition races. The season concluded with the 2010 Ford 400 at Homestead Miami Speedway...

    .


As well as these, Red Bull supports many up-and-coming young drivers:
  • Jaime Alguersuari
    Jaime Alguersuari
    Jaime Víctor Alguersuari Escudero , is a Spanish racing driver who became the youngest Formula One driver to start a Grand Prix in history at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix. Alguersuari is the first driver to be born in the 1990s to compete in Formula One....

     -races for Scuderia Toro Rosso, substituted Sébastien Bourdais
    Sébastien Bourdais
    Sébastien Olivier Bourdais is a French race car driver. He is one of the most successful drivers in the history of the Champ Car World Series, having won four successive championships from 2004 to 2007....

     for the rest of the 2009 season
    2009 Formula One season
    The 2009 Formula One season was the 60th FIA Formula One World Championship season. The season took place over 17 rounds, and started with the on 29 March 2009. It ended on 1 November 2009 with the inaugural ....

    ; he won British F3 in 2008
    2008 British Formula Three season
    The 2008 British Formula Three season was the 58th British Formula Three Championship season. It began on 24 March 2008 at Oulton Park's Easter Monday meeting and ended on 12 October at Donington Park after 22 rounds in four different countries. Jay Bridger sealed the National Class championship at...

     and raced in the World Series by Renault
    2009 World Series by Renault season
    The 2009 Formula Renault 3.5 Series season began on April 18 at the Circuit de Catalunya and finished on October 25 at the brand-new Ciudad del Motor de Aragón in Alcañiz. It was the fifth season of the Renault-backed single-seater category. International DracoRacing driver Bertrand Baguette won...

    .
  • Mikhail Aleshin
    Mikhail Aleshin
    -Career:Aleshin competed in karting from 1996 to 2000. Since 2001 he has taken part in various international open wheel series. On April 14, 2007 he became the first Russian driver to win a major international single-seater race when he won the opening round of the Formula Renault 3.5 Series season...

     – raced in the World Series by Renault
    World Series by Renault
    The World Series by Renault, formerly the World Series by Nissan from 1998 to 2004, is a motor racing series. The series consists of the flagship Formula Renault 3.5 Series , the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 and the Eurocup Mégane Trophy...

     with Carlin Motorsport
    Carlin Motorsport
    Carlin, formerly Carlin Motorsport, is a motor racing team based in the United Kingdom. It competes in four championships — British Formula Three Championship, GP3 Series, World Series by Renault and GP2 Series.-History:...

    .
  • Michael Ammermüller
    Michael Ammermüller
    Michael Ammermüller is a race car driver born in Pocking, Germany on February 14, 1986.-Career:In 2004 he drove the number three car in German Formula Renault, as well as competing in Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup...

     – raced in the GP2 Series
    GP2 Series
    The GP2 Series, GP2 for short, is a form of open wheel motor racing introduced in 2005 following the discontinuation of the long-term Formula One feeder series, Formula 3000. The format was conceived by Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, while Ecclestone also has the rights to the name GP1...

     with ART
    ART Grand Prix
    Lotus ART is a French motor racing team that competes in formula single-seaters in Europe. It was founded as ART Grand Prix in 1991.-Creation:...

    .
  • Sébastien Buemi
    Sébastien Buemi
    Sébastien Olivier Buemi is a Swiss racing driver, who competes for Scuderia Toro Rosso in Formula One.-Formula BMW:...

     – races for Scuderia Toro Rosso; he has participated in the GP2 Series Asia and GP2 Series
    GP2 Series
    The GP2 Series, GP2 for short, is a form of open wheel motor racing introduced in 2005 following the discontinuation of the long-term Formula One feeder series, Formula 3000. The format was conceived by Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, while Ecclestone also has the rights to the name GP1...

     for Trust Team Arden and in A1 Grand Prix
    A1 Grand Prix
    A1 Grand Prix was a 'single make' open-wheel auto racing series. It was unique in its field in that competitors solely represented their nation as opposed to themselves or a team, the usual format in most formula racing series. As such, it was often promoted as the "World Cup of Motorsport"...

     with A1 Team Switzerland
    A1 Team Switzerland
    A1 Team Switzerland is the Swiss team of A1 Grand Prix, an international racing series. The team were the A1 Grand Prix champions for the third season, 2007-08.-History:...

    , as back-up to fellow Red Bull Junior Team driver Jani.
  • Colin Fleming
    Colin Fleming
    Colin Fleming is a British professional tennis player who lives in Linlithgow.He was selected for 2009 Great Britain Davis Cup team....

     – raced in the World Series by Renault
    World Series by Renault
    The World Series by Renault, formerly the World Series by Nissan from 1998 to 2004, is a motor racing series. The series consists of the flagship Formula Renault 3.5 Series , the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 and the Eurocup Mégane Trophy...

     with Carlin Motorsport
    Carlin Motorsport
    Carlin, formerly Carlin Motorsport, is a motor racing team based in the United Kingdom. It competes in four championships — British Formula Three Championship, GP3 Series, World Series by Renault and GP2 Series.-History:...

    .
  • Brendon Hartley
    Brendon Hartley
    Brendon Hartley is a New Zealand race car driver.-Career:Hartley was born in a family well integrated within motorsport. His father, Bryan, had raced in many forms of motorsport, most notably Formula Atlantic. At the age of six, Hartley began his motor racing career in kart racing, following his...

     – Won the 2007 Formula Renault Europe at 17 and in 2008 races British Formula Three with Carlin Motorsport
    Carlin Motorsport
    Carlin, formerly Carlin Motorsport, is a motor racing team based in the United Kingdom. It competes in four championships — British Formula Three Championship, GP3 Series, World Series by Renault and GP2 Series.-History:...

    .
  • Neel Jani
    Neel Jani
    Neel Jani is a Swiss race car driver of Indian origin. He has achieved his greatest success driving for A1 Team Switzerland in A1 Grand Prix, helping them win the 2007-2008 title and finishing runner-up in 2005-06 and 2008-09. He has been also a GP2 Series race-winner and Formula One tester...

     – a test driver for Sauber
    Sauber
    Sauber F1 Team is a Swiss Formula One team. It was founded in the 1970s by Peter Sauber, who progressed through hillclimbing and the World Sportscar Championship to reach Formula One in 1993....

    , Red Bull Racing
    Red Bull Racing
    Red Bull Racing is a Formula One racing team based in Milton Keynes, England which currently holds an Austrian licence. It is, along with Scuderia Toro Rosso, one of two teams owned by beverage company Red Bull GmbH. The team have won two Constructors' Championship titles, in and , becoming the...

    , and now Toro Rosso
    Scuderia Toro Rosso
    Scuderia Toro Rosso , also known simply as Toro Rosso or by its abbreviation STR, is an Italian Formula One racing team...

    , whilst also representing Switzerland
    A1 Team Switzerland
    A1 Team Switzerland is the Swiss team of A1 Grand Prix, an international racing series. The team were the A1 Grand Prix champions for the third season, 2007-08.-History:...

     in A1 Grand Prix
    A1 Grand Prix
    A1 Grand Prix was a 'single make' open-wheel auto racing series. It was unique in its field in that competitors solely represented their nation as opposed to themselves or a team, the usual format in most formula racing series. As such, it was often promoted as the "World Cup of Motorsport"...

    .
  • Daniel Ricciardo
    Daniel Ricciardo
    Daniel Ricciardo is an Australian racing driver currently competing in Formula 1 for Hispania Racing. He won the British Formula Three Championship in 2009.-Formula Ford and Formula BMW:...

     – reserve driver for Red Bull Racing
    Red Bull Racing
    Red Bull Racing is a Formula One racing team based in Milton Keynes, England which currently holds an Austrian licence. It is, along with Scuderia Toro Rosso, one of two teams owned by beverage company Red Bull GmbH. The team have won two Constructors' Championship titles, in and , becoming the...

    , winner of the 2009 British Formula Three season
    2009 British Formula Three season
    The 2009 British Formula Three season was the 59th British Formula Three Championship season. It began on 13 April at Oulton Park's Easter Monday meeting and ended on 20 September at Brands Hatch after 20 rounds in four different countries...

     with Carlin Motorsport
    Carlin Motorsport
    Carlin, formerly Carlin Motorsport, is a motor racing team based in the United Kingdom. It competes in four championships — British Formula Three Championship, GP3 Series, World Series by Renault and GP2 Series.-History:...

    .
  • Adrian Zaugg
    Adrian Zaugg
    Adrian Zaugg is a South African race car driver.-Complete A1 Grand Prix results: -Complete GP2 Series results:...

     – raced in World Series by Renault
    World Series by Renault
    The World Series by Renault, formerly the World Series by Nissan from 1998 to 2004, is a motor racing series. The series consists of the flagship Formula Renault 3.5 Series , the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 and the Eurocup Mégane Trophy...

     for Carlin Motorsport
    Carlin Motorsport
    Carlin, formerly Carlin Motorsport, is a motor racing team based in the United Kingdom. It competes in four championships — British Formula Three Championship, GP3 Series, World Series by Renault and GP2 Series.-History:...

     for a part-season and is currently racing in A1 Grand Prix
    A1 Grand Prix
    A1 Grand Prix was a 'single make' open-wheel auto racing series. It was unique in its field in that competitors solely represented their nation as opposed to themselves or a team, the usual format in most formula racing series. As such, it was often promoted as the "World Cup of Motorsport"...

     for South Africa
    A1 Team South Africa
    A1 Team South Africa is the South African team of A1 Grand Prix, an international racing series.- Management :A1 Team South Africa owner is Tokyo Sexwale. The Chief Executive Officer of the team is Dana Cooper and the technical and sporting manager is Mike Carroll...

    .


In 2004 Red Bull bought Jaguar Racing
Jaguar Racing
Jaguar Racing was a Formula One team that competed in the FIA Formula One World Championship from 2000 to 2004. It was formed from the purchase by Ford of Jackie Stewart's Stewart Grand Prix Formula One team in June 1999. Ford renamed the team Jaguar Racing as part of its global marketing...

 and renamed the team Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Racing is a Formula One racing team based in Milton Keynes, England which currently holds an Austrian licence. It is, along with Scuderia Toro Rosso, one of two teams owned by beverage company Red Bull GmbH. The team have won two Constructors' Championship titles, in and , becoming the...

 for the 2005 Formula One season
2005 Formula One season
The 2005 Formula One season was the 56th FIA Formula One World Championship season, contested over a record 19 Grands Prix. It commenced on March 6, 2005, and ended October 16....

. This offered an easy way in to Formula One for Red Bull Junior Team's drivers.

Red Bull Driver Search

Red Bull Driver Search was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 scheme run from 2002 to 2005 in parallel with the Red Bull Junior Team. Its aim was "Searching for the future American F1 Champion". Another goal was to create "the first ever All-American Formula 1 team."

There has been one clear star of Red Bull Driver Search: Scott Speed
Scott Speed
Scott Andrew Speed is an American race car driver. Formerly a driver for the Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 team, he made his Formula One race debut at the 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix; becoming the first American to race in F1 since Michael Andretti in 1993...

. After being one of four winners of the 2002 Red Bull Driver Search, Speed went on to compete in British Formula 3, before winning the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 and Eurocup Formula Renault
Formula Renault
Formula Renault is a class of formula racing founded in 1971. It is popular in Europe and other countries. Regarded as an entry-level series to motor racing, it is a respected series where drivers can learn advanced racecraft before moving on to Formula Three, World Series by Renault, GP2 or...

 Championships. In 2005, Speed impressed onlookers with his performances in the GP2 Series
GP2 Series
The GP2 Series, GP2 for short, is a form of open wheel motor racing introduced in 2005 following the discontinuation of the long-term Formula One feeder series, Formula 3000. The format was conceived by Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, while Ecclestone also has the rights to the name GP1...

 and, after a short stint in A1 Grand Prix
A1 Grand Prix
A1 Grand Prix was a 'single make' open-wheel auto racing series. It was unique in its field in that competitors solely represented their nation as opposed to themselves or a team, the usual format in most formula racing series. As such, it was often promoted as the "World Cup of Motorsport"...

 for A1 Team USA
A1 Team USA
A1 Team USA is the American team of A1 Grand Prix, an international racing series.- Management :Owner Rick Weidinger became interested in A1 Team USA and the A1 Grand Prix series when national franchises were being bid for the new series. Along with minority partners and friends Rusty Lewis and...

, Speed drove for Scuderia Toro Rosso
Scuderia Toro Rosso
Scuderia Toro Rosso , also known simply as Toro Rosso or by its abbreviation STR, is an Italian Formula One racing team...

 in Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...

 in the 2006
2006 Formula One season
The 2006 Formula One season was the 57th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 2006 FIA Formula One World Championship which began on March 12 and ended on October 22 after eighteen races. The Drivers' Championship was won by Fernando Alonso of Renault F1 for the second year in a...

 and 2007
2007 Formula One season
The 2007 Formula One season was the 58th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 2007 FIA Formula One World Championship, which began on 18 March and ended on 21 October after seventeen events. The Drivers' Championship was won by Ferrari driver Kimi Räikkönen by one point at the...

 seasons.

Red Bull Driver Search formally concluded on 17 October 2005. Part of the reason it concluded is because Scott Speed, a Driver Search participant, successfully made it to Formula One.

A victim of its own success?

Many talented drivers have risen through the ranks of Red Bull's driver programmes — so many, in fact, that Red Bull did not have the space to bring all of their best drivers into Formula One. In the 2005 Formula One season
2005 Formula One season
The 2005 Formula One season was the 56th FIA Formula One World Championship season, contested over a record 19 Grands Prix. It commenced on March 6, 2005, and ended October 16....

 the second Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Racing is a Formula One racing team based in Milton Keynes, England which currently holds an Austrian licence. It is, along with Scuderia Toro Rosso, one of two teams owned by beverage company Red Bull GmbH. The team have won two Constructors' Championship titles, in and , becoming the...

 seat was shared between Christian Klien
Christian Klien
Christian Klien is an Austrian former Formula One racing driver. In total he has scored 14 points in Formula One.Klien currently drives for Aston Martin Racing in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup-Racing career:...

 and Vitantonio Liuzzi
Vitantonio Liuzzi
Vitantonio "Tonio" Liuzzi is an Italian race driver who is currently racing in Formula One for the HRT F1 Team. He has homes in Lugano, Switzerland and Pescara, Italy.-Karting:...

, with the drivers swapping between races. To further complicate matters, Scott Speed
Scott Speed
Scott Andrew Speed is an American race car driver. Formerly a driver for the Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 team, he made his Formula One race debut at the 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix; becoming the first American to race in F1 since Michael Andretti in 1993...

 was vying for a place in Formula One but had to make do with being a non-racing third driver.

To solve this problem, in late 2005, Red Bull purchased the Minardi
Minardi
Minardi was an automobile racing team and constructor founded in 1979 by Giancarlo Minardi. It competed in the Formula One World Championship from 1985 until 2005 with little success, nevertheless acquiring a loyal following of fans...

 team to help promote more of its drivers into Formula One. Red Bull described the new outfit as a "Rookie Team", and renamed it as Scuderia Toro Rosso
Scuderia Toro Rosso
Scuderia Toro Rosso , also known simply as Toro Rosso or by its abbreviation STR, is an Italian Formula One racing team...

, Italian simply for "Team Red Bull". Liuzzi and Speed drove the cars for the and Formula One seasons. Sebastian Vettel replaced Speed permanently at Toro Rosso 3/4ths of the way through the 2007 season. Sebastian Vettel and Sebastien Bourdais were the drivers for Toro Rosso in . The team scored its first victory at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix
2008 Italian Grand Prix
The 2008 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on September 14, 2008 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy. It was the 14th race of the 2008 Formula One season. The race, contested over 53 laps, was won by Sebastian Vettel for the Toro Rosso team after starting...

, with Vettel never leaving the first position during the race.

In 2009, Vettel moved from Toro Rosso to Red Bull's main team. He was succeeded at Scuderia Toro Rosso by Swiss driver Sebastian Buemi, also part of the Red Bull Junior Team.

Midway through 2009, the underperforming Bourdais was replaced by Jaime Alguersuari
Jaime Alguersuari
Jaime Víctor Alguersuari Escudero , is a Spanish racing driver who became the youngest Formula One driver to start a Grand Prix in history at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix. Alguersuari is the first driver to be born in the 1990s to compete in Formula One....

, another product of the Red Bull Junior Team, and his partnership with Buemi remains intact to this day.

External links

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