2022 has certainly been Red Bull’s season, with the side having obliterated the competition across the calendar, ending Mercedes’ Constructors’ domination in the process.
Prior to 2022, Mercedes had won eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships, much to the frustration of Red Bull, who were by far the strongest side before the hybrid era.
Red Bull have returned to the top in style in 2022, where they claimed the Constructors’ title with relative ease, following an onslaught of errors by Ferrari and a woeful car by Mercedes.
The Austrians won 17 of the 22 races in the year, with Max Verstappen having won 15 of those on his way to a second consecutive Drivers’ Championship.
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Verstappen claimed the record this season for most wins in a year and most points scored in a single campaign, highlighting his and the team’s superiority.
It hasn’t all been perfect for the energy drink-owned side, though, who were embroiled in the ‘Cashgate’ scandal in the latter stages of the season.
Red Bull caused anger throughout the paddock after being found guilty of having breached the 2021 budget cap of $145 million, something which resulted in a substantial penalty.
The FIA awarded Red Bull a $7 million fine and a 10-percent reduction in permitted aerodynamic research, meaning they’ll be awarded even less wind tunnel time than usual for the Constructors’ Champions.
Following the conclusion of the season, Red Bull boss Christian Horner admitted his side are “always learning” and are expecting their rivals to be extra “motivated” in 2023.
“You are always learning,” said Horner.
“Somebody else will have an issue at some point. The higher you rise, the sharper the knives,” he continued, echoing recent comments by Lewis Hamilton.
“We have experienced a bit of that this year. The quickest way to become unpopular in this paddock is to win, and win consistently.
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“We are a subsidiary of an energy drink’s company racing against OEMs and historic brands and, of course, that does not sit comfortably with some of our competitors.
“When you win 17 grands prix, you can understand that hurts our opponents and I am sure they will be even more motivated to become a challenger next year.
“They are high-quality teams, so nothing can be taken for granted in 2023.”