“Red Bull were always having big discos” - until David Coulthard changed it…

The experienced British driver was the first big name to drive for Red Bull in 2005 but the team had a very different attitude in those days.

It was Coulthard that tempted Adrian Newey across to become the chief technical officer and Red Bull’s mastermind, despite their reputation for partying and late nights.

"David's a good friend, somebody whose judgement I very much trusted, and David gave it a big thumbs-up," Newey says.

"[Red Bull] were always having big discos – was this a team that would be taken seriously? 

“But if you went beneath that veneer, then to me it looked like, yes, it had all the building blocks."

Team principal Christian Horner had targeted F1 paddock legend Newey as the key addition who could propel them towards winning championships.

"Christian made a habit through the 2005 season that I would be walking into the paddock, I think Silverstone has the clearest memory, he always happened to be walking,” Newey revealed. 

“There was another chance interchange and we started to talk a bit more.

"And then this gentleman in a black leather jacket suddenly popped out from behind a truck and said, 'I'm Helmut Marko, here is my card. We will ring'."

Newey has since aided Red Bull towards five constructors’ championships - four before Mercedes took over with eight in a row, then one this year.

Max Verstappen has won two consecutive drivers’ title, in addition to Sebastian Vettel’s four that he won.

Verstappen will remain the man to beat in 2023 with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc desperate to bring him down.