Former world champions suffer new indignity at the Red Bull Ring with fifth engines installed in Ricciardo and Kvyat's cars
Friday 19 June 2015 10:05, UK
How the once-mighty keep on falling: Both the cars of former world champions Red Bull are set to start their home race, at the Red Bull Ring no less, on the back rows of the grid after taking fifth engines.
While Red Bull’s struggles in 2015 have been overshadowed by the calamitous start to McLaren’s reunion with Honda, the Milton Keynes outfit, which won four successive title doubles prior to being replaced by Mercedes as F1’s dominant force last year, are enduring a wretched season of their own.
Yet to score a podium finish or qualify higher than fourth, the team sunk to a new low in Montreal two weeks ago when they were lapped by Mercedes. "I thought the worst was past us but this weekend was by far our worst of the year,” a forlorn Daniel Ricciardo told Sky Sports F1. "I thought we had reached the lowest point but today was a new one."
Alas not. Even worse news has arrived in the Austrian mountains with Red Bull confirming ahead of Friday practice that both Ricciardo and team-mate Daniil Kvyat had fifth engines installed into their respective RB11s, triggering automatic 10-place grid penalties.
After qualifying towards the foot of the top 10 at the similarly power-dependent Montreal circuit two weeks ago, the grid demotions will almost certainly trigger the ignominious indignity of the Red Bull starting alongside the Manor-Marussias. Fellow ex-world champions McLaren are also set to start at the foot of the order owing to power unit penalties.
Red Bull's decision to fast-forward the introduction of an extra engine is, however, founded on clear sporting rationale.
Given that the relative weakness Renault of the engine is expected to be particularly apparent at a circuit which is driven for 80 per cent at full throttle, Red Bull are unlikely to challenge for points in any circumstances this weekend.
Better, then, to accept that at least one more extra engine change will be required before the end of the season and take the medicine here rather than at slower venues such as Budapest and Singapore where, because a powerful engine isn’t as critical to performance, it's realistic to foresee the Red Bulls challenging for a respectable haul of points.
But F1 has never only been about sport, and the timing of Red Bull’s expected demotion could hardly be less awkward. The Red Bull energy drink which funds the team remains Austria’s biggest brand and the prospect of both of their cars starting Sunday’s race at the Red Bull Ring at the back is unlikely to be looked upon favourably by owner Dietrich Mateschitz. Just three months ago, the tycoon threatened to quit the sport. Humiliation at his home race may be the final straw.
Don’t miss Sky Sports F1’s exclusively live coverage of the 2015 Austrian GP. The race begins at 1pm on Sunday, with build-up underway from 11.30am. No Sky Sports? No problem! Watch the Austrian GP for £6.99 with NOW TV
