On the same day that Red Bull Racing earned its third consecutive Formula One Constructor’s Championship (and driver Sebastian Vettel took home his third Driver’s Championship), Infiniti has announced it will become a title sponsor and major technical partner beginning in 2013. The team will now be named Infiniti Red Bull Racing, with drivers Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber returning for the 2013 season.
The move strengthens the relationship between Infiniti and Red Bull Racing, begun in 2011. Backed by Nissan, Infiniti will help Red Bull Racing develop required Energy Recovery Systems, mandated by the competition rules for the 2014 season. In exchange for its engineering support (and, we presume, a bigger bundle of sponsorship dollars), Infiniti will get greater exposure, especially in the all-important Chinese market.
Don’t expect a switch to Infiniti (or Nissan) engines any time soon, though, since developing a competitive F1 engine generally takes years of effort. Engine supplier Renault is already allied with Nissan globally via a 13-year-old strategic partnership, so there would be little benefit to making changes in this area.
Look for Infiniti Red Bull Racing to debut its RB9 chassis in February of 2013, with the first race of the 2013 F1 season, the Australian Grand Prix, scheduled for March 17.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
