Drivers: Daniel Ricciardo, Daniil Kvyat, Max Verstappen
Points:468 (Second in constructors')
Best result: 1st (Verstappen, Spanish GP; Ricciardo, Malaysian GP)
Best qualifying: 1st, (Ricciardo, Monaco GP)
Red Bull went into 2016 with its sights set low. After the disappointment of a fourth-place finish in the constructors' in 2015 and no solid proof that Renault had finally got to grips with its V6 turbo, the team played down expectations ahead of the first test. The first four races were solid but unspectacular as Daniel Ricciardo registered four straight fourth-place finishes and Daniil Kvyat's form fluctuated from a hard-earned podium in China to a rookie mistake on the opening lap in Russia. But it was the start of the European season that changed everything as Red Bull made the bold decision to swap Kvyat for 18-year-old Toro Rosso driver Max Verstappen.
It was a decision that was instantly rewarded (with a bit of help from the Mercedes drivers crashing into each other) as Verstappen became F1's youngest grand prix winner in Spain. An engine upgrade made Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull the fastest thing on four wheels in Monaco two weeks later, but a misplaced set of tyres cost him almost certain victory at his final pit stop. A slump came at the high-speed circuits in Baku and Montreal, but after that Red Bull asserted itself as the firm No. 2 team behind Mercedes. More Mercedes misfortune gifted the team a second victory in Malaysia, which Ricciardo seized as if it was payment for his missed opportunity in Monaco.
While second in the constructors' championship was an impressive achievement giving the team's starting point, 2016 was as much about 2017 for Red Bull. In February the rest of the grid finally agreed to sign off the 2017 regulations it had been campaigning for, putting the emphasis back on aerodynamics which has historically been Red Bull's forte. An engine deal came two months later aimed at easing F1's manufacturers towards performance convergence over the next three years, thus neutering one of Mercedes' main strengths. Neither deal was as extreme as Red Bull had hoped, but combined they should put the Milton Keynes-based squad back at the front of the grid.