Where did each Red Bull F1 driver finish on their team debut?

Yuki Tsunoda is ready to turn out to be the 14th driver to begin a System 1 grand prix for Crimson Bull when he competes for the group at Suzuka on the 6 April.

Will probably be the third spherical of the 2025 F1 season and he’ll substitute Liam Lawson as Max Verstappen’s team-mate after a point-less begin for the New Zealander.

So there can be immense strain on Tsunoda to carry out higher than the person he’s changing, particularly when Lawson initially pipped the Japanese driver to the Crimson Bull promotion for 2025.

However, how did all of his predecessors carry out on their Crimson Bull debut starting with those that competed for the squad in its maiden season in 2005?

David Coulthard: Fourth on the 2005 Australian Grand Prix

David Coulthard

Photograph by: Crimson Bull Racing

David Coulthard was a serious coup for Crimson Bull when it signed the 13-time grand prix winner forward of its F1 debut. Coulthard put his decade of F1 expertise to good use by ending fourth on the group’s first race in Melbourne having began the grand prix in fifth.

He might have achieved extra although, as Coulthard climbed as much as third at race begin, however then the tempo of Fernando Alonso’s Renault paid dividends and that yr’s eventual world champion pipped him to the ultimate podium place.

Christian Klien: Seventh on the 2005 Australian Grand Prix

Christian Klien

Photograph by: Crimson Bull Racing

It was a double factors outing for Crimson Bull on its F1 debut, as Christian Klien completed the 2005 Australian Grand Prix in seventh, one place decrease than the place he began. However that was one of some highlights for the Austrian that season, as he claimed simply three extra factors finishes whereas sharing the seat with Vitantonio Liuzzi.

Vitantonio Liuzzi: Eighth on the 2005 San Marino Grand Prix

Vitantonio Liuzzi

Photograph by: XPB Pictures

Liuzzi got here into the Crimson Bull fold for the fourth grand prix of the season at Imola, as a part of a deal that may see initially himself and Klien alternate races. However, as a consequence of poor kind, Liuzzi solely lasted 4 rounds along with his greatest exhibiting approaching his debut, because the Italian completed eighth on the 2005 San Marino Grand Prix which earned him a degree. 

Robert Doornbos: twelfth on the 2006 Chinese language Grand Prix

Robert Doornbos

Photograph by: Crimson Bull GmbH and GEPA photos GmbH

Robert Doornbos began the 2006 season as a take a look at driver for Crimson Bull, however he lastly received his shot on the remaining three grands prix of the yr after Klien was dropped. The Dutchman’s first race got here in Shanghai, the place he impressively reached Q3 to outqualify Coulthard however the pleasure was brief lived, as Doornbos dropped from tenth to twelfth within the race and was a lap down on winner Michael Schumacher.

Mark Webber: thirteenth on the 2007 Australian Grand Prix

Mark Webber, Crimson Bull Racing RB3-Renault

Photograph by: John Marsh / Motorsport Pictures

Mark Webber changed Doornbos for the 2007 season, as the previous Williams driver was signed to associate Coulthard as a part of a extremely skilled line-up for the group. Webber’s debut got here at his dwelling race in Melbourne, the place he additionally impressed in qualifying by reaching Q3 whereas Coulthard was eradicated from the opening session. However, the Crimson Bull struggled for race tempo as Webber dropped to thirteenth the next day.

Sebastian Vettel: DNF on the 2009 Australian Grand Prix

Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber F1.09, Sebastian Vettel, Crimson Bull Racing RB5 Renault

Photograph by: Scott Wensley

What made Sebastian Vettel such a novel case was the truth that he had already gained a race with Crimson Bull’s sister group – Toro Rosso on the 2008 Italian Grand Prix – earlier than he received a shot on the major group.

All people knew he was a particular expertise, however his ending place on his Crimson Bull debut doesn’t replicate how he ran. Vettel certified in third and was aggressive all through the day, however collided with BMW-Sauber’s Robert Kubica forcing each to retire late on.

Daniel Ricciardo: DSQ from the 2014 Australian Grand Prix

Daniel Ricciardo, Crimson Bull Racing, 2nd Place, on the rostrum along with his trophy and champagne

Photograph by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Pictures

Daniel Ricciardo had a really bittersweet debut for Crimson Bull which, like Webber, got here at his dwelling race in Australia. Ricciardo began it by outqualifying his four-time world champion team-mate Vettel having put his RB10 on the entrance row alongside pole sitter Lewis Hamilton.

The then 25-year-old carried that kind into the race to ultimately cross the road in second behind Hamilton’s team-mate Nico Rosberg. However, after the chequered flag, Ricciardo was disqualified from the 2014 Australian Grand Prix as a result of, per the rules, gas couldn’t move to the engine at a price of greater than 100kg per hour and his Crimson Bull exceeded that allowance. Kevin Magnussen was subsequently bumped as much as second on his McLaren debut along with his team-mate Jenson Button claiming the ultimate podium spot.

Daniil Kvyat: Ninth on the 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix

Daniil Kvyat, Crimson Bull Racing RB11, stops on the monitor on his out lap

Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Pictures

Daniil Kvyat was purported to make his debut within the season-opener at Melbourne, however a gearbox concern meant he by no means received to begin the race. His precise debut got here within the second spherical of the yr on the Malaysian Grand Prix, ending ninth and beating team-mate Ricciardo. Nonetheless, the Toro Rossos of Verstappen and Carlos Sainz beat each Crimson Bull drivers that day.

Max Verstappen: Winner of the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix

Race winner Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB12 celebrates on the finish of the race

Photograph by: XPB Pictures

It ought to shock no person that the four-time world champion gained on his Crimson Bull debut on the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix. However simply to make it much more spectacular, it got here as a part of a mid-season swap with Verstappen changing Kvyat 5 rounds into the yr.

It was the identical race that the Silver Arrows struggle hit a fever pitch as Mercedes pair and title rivals Hamilton and Nico Rosberg collided into one another on the opening lap. It paved method for Verstappen to sneak into the lead, one thing he held onto to turn out to be F1’s youngest ever winner on the age of 18 years and 228 days previous.

Pierre Gasly: eleventh on the 2019 Australian Grand Prix 

Pierre Gasly, Crimson Bull Racing RB15

Photograph by: Erik Junius

Pierre Gasly’s brief stint with Crimson Bull began in Australia, like so many others on this checklist. He began the weekend eradicated in Q1, and whereas he prevented main drama through the race, he failed to attain any factors whereas team-mate Verstappen secured a podium end.

Alex Albon: Fifth on the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix

Alex Albon, Crimson Bull RB15, is congratulated on the end by his group

Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Pictures

Alex Albon was one other Toro Rosso driver promoted to Crimson Bull mid-season, as he was introduced as Gasly’s alternative through the 2019 summer time break. Albon’s debut got here on the Belgian Grand Prix, that yr’s thirteenth grand prix, and he began pretty properly ending fifth at Spa-Francorchamps regardless of an influence unit penalty which meant he began the race in seventeenth. 

Sergio Perez: Fifth on the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix

Sergio Perez, Crimson Bull Racing RB18, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13

Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Pictures

Regardless of a constructive Crimson Bull debut for Albon, he largely struggled within the season-and-a-half which following that means veteran Sergio Perez changed him for 2021. The Mexican’s debut got here in Bahrain, the situation of his maiden grand prix win in 2020, however began off in disappointing trend as he was eradicated from Q2 after a medium tyre gamble didn’t repay.

Issues received even worse when Perez was then pressured right into a pitlane begin after his RB16 stopped on the formation lap. Perez, nonetheless, recovered excellently to battle his method as much as fifth within the grand prix and end simply 15 seconds behind Valtteri Bottas who occupied the ultimate podium spot. 

Liam Lawson: DNF on the 2025 Australian Grand Prix

Liam Lawson, Crimson Bull Racing

Photograph by: James Sutton / Motorsport Pictures

Lawson struggled throughout his time at Crimson Bull from begin to end, because it started with a Q1 elimination on his debut at Albert Park Circuit whereas team-mate Verstappen was up in third. The 23-year-old did not make a lot progress within the grand prix earlier than he ultimately crashed out with 11 laps remaining, hitting the obstacles at a humid Flip 2.

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