The team formerly known as Alpha Tauri showed off their car for the upcoming 2024 season in a presentation that also featured entertainment from Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem.
The launch was held at the iconic Las Vegas strip, creating a spectacle for the team’s new identity as ‘RB’.
The car sports a familiar colour scheme reminiscent of one of the team’s former identities in Torro Rosso, with a metallic blue paired with silver and red accents. However There is a notable presence of white used to show off the team’s new Hugo Boss partnership that were not part of the old liveries.
The design of the car’s livery is a noticeable contrast to the other liveries that have been revealed up to this point, which has seen a trend of a significant increase in exposed carbon fibre in order to save weight. Whilst the VCARB 01 has stripped away paint in some areas, it is certainly not as extreme with it.
Daniel Ricciardo returned to the team in the middle of last season, having driven for them initially in 2012 and 2013, before moving to Red Bull. Torro Rosso was more definitively a junior team for Red Bull in that time, though Ricciardo feels that the team has moved beyond that now.
“The team has always taken itself seriously, but I feel like this is another step up now – it’s no longer just a platform for Red Bull Racing. It’s a time for us to fight at the front of the midfield. Speaking in the team, some people are encouraged and optimistic, and then others are like, ‘let’s just wait until we put it on track’. So you never know, and that’s the truth.
“I like what’s happened, the changes that have taken place. I feel like there’s something about the team – the mindset’s a little bit different – kind of like a point to prove.”
Alongside the new name and colour scheme, this season will also represent a new era for the team as it will be the first without Franz Tost as team principal, who had held the role since Red Bull bought Minardi back in 2005. He is replaced by former Ferrari Sporting Director Laurent Mekies, who will hope to continue the team’s late 2023 form and rise higher than 8th in the Constructor’s Championship.
