Red Bull and Aston Martin collaborate once again to bring a V8 or V12 Vantage S Red Bull Racing Editions

• Global special edition created to celebrate Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing’s Innovation Partnership
• Models given seal of approval from Red Bull Racing drivers Daniel Ricciardo & Max Verstappen
• Unique Red Bull Racing specification brought to life through Q by Aston Martin
• Available for both V8 and V12 Vantage S derivatives

With the 2017 FIA Formula 1 World Championship^® set to kick off on 26 March, Aston Martin has unveiled its latest additions to the Vantage range; the V8 and V12 Vantage S Red Bull Racing Editions.

These true collectibles have been created by the marque’s in-house personalisation service; Q by Aston Martin. Celebrating the two brands’ unique ‘Innovation Partnership’, Aston Martin’s latest global offering takes approval from Red Bull Racing drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen, with their signatures adorning both sill and inspection plaques.

Available with Aston Martin’s characterful V8 and V12 naturally aspirated power units, both Vantage Red Bull Racing Editions are equipped with a range of distinguishing features for the most devoted Formula 1^®enthusiast.

Building on the appeal of the sports-focused Vantage range, the models deliver a blend of eye-catching looks and an engaging and visceral experience for the perfect cruise along the Great Ocean Road, Adelaide Hills or even Melbourne’s Albert Park.

Taking inspiration from Red Bull Racing’s distinctive race livery, owners will be treated to a deep Mariana Blue paint finish as standard. For those wanting a slight twist, gloss Tungsten Silver or satin Mariana Blue exteriors are also optional. 

Complementing Aston Martin’s signature paint finish is a race-inspired carbon fibre splitter, diffuser, grille and side strakes. Red infills on the carbon fibre grille and yellow calipers complete the iconic colour scheme.

Inside, customers can expect further sporting features, including Red Bull Racing headrest embroidery, carbon fibre trim inlays, diamond-quilting and an alcantara steering wheel complete with 12 o’clock accent stripe.

Customers may opt for their sill and final inspection plaques to be signed by either Daniel Ricciardo or Max Verstappen, providing the ultimate seal of approval and cementing their exclusivity.

Aston Martin President & CEO, Dr. Andy Palmer said, “Motorsport is and will always be a key part of Aston Martin’s DNA and both the V8 and V12 Vantage S Red Bull Racing Editions bring that ethos straight to our customers. With the 2017 FIA Formula 1 World Championship^® set to begin soon, I hope that the purchase of these models will bring the racing season that little bit closer for those lucky few customers who can’t wait for it to begin”.

Deliveries are set to take place from Q2 2017. For further information including RRP, customers should enquire directly with their local dealership.

Red Bull Racing & Nissan/Infiniti will cease all partnership deals from December 2015, a year earlier than planned..

Nissan, Infiniti and the Red Bull Racing Formula One team have reached mutual agreements to discontinue the partnership between the two automotive brands and the Formula One team at the end of December this year.

In particular, the agreements entail the following two key components:

• Infiniti and Red Bull Racing will discontinue their commercial partnership at the end of the 2015 season, one year earlier than originally stipulated.
• Nissan will not provide light commercial vans to Red Bull Racing anymore

The partnership between Infiniti, Nissan and Red Bull Racing has been one of the most successful ones in recent years. The team won four consecutive Formula One constructor and driver world championship titles between 2010 and 2013. Infiniti and Red Bull Racing started their commercial partnership in 2011 before Infiniti became the title sponsor of the team in 2013.

F1 Driver Daniel Ricciardo takes out customers for a test drive in the new Infiniti Q30 hatchback.

A customer at Infiniti Centre Birmingham took a test drive to remember when his driver turned out to be Daniel Ricciardo, the Infiniti Red Bull Racing Formula One pilot.

Last Saturday Infiniti Centre Birmingham provided a special afternoon for their customers with an informal question-and-answer session with top racing driver Daniel Ricciardo. 

For one customer, a Mr Sheng Zhao from Stratford- Upon-Avon, a loyal customer of the centre and a big F1™ fan, it was exceptionally special as he was provided the opportunity to take a passenger ride in a Q30 alongside Daniel at the wheel.

Mr Sheng Zhao who placed an order for a Q30 said afterwards: “I knew I was coming to see Daniel, as I love everything regarding Formula one. I was hoping to maybe get a signature, but to sit alongside him whilst driving around the streets of Birmingham in an Infiniti Q30 was quite something. The team here in Birmingham always treat me exceptionally well but they have surpassed themselves today.”

Daniel stayed at the Infiniti Centre for nearly two hours providing some great entertainment as Fayyaz Ahmed (Team GB Athletics senior Coach and RADA trained actor) fired many questions his way discovering what it took Daniel to get where he is today. This was followed by the audience getting involved with an open forum of questions and then the opportunity to get some Infiniti team caps signed and to chat with Daniel himself.

Among the guests was also Team GB athlete and Commonwealth high jump Silver Medallist Isobel Pooley who posed for some photos alongside Daniel Ricciardo, Fayyaz Ahmed and Marco Fassinotti who is ranked number two in the world for indoor and fifth in the world for outdoor high jump.

Infiniti Red Bull Racing previews the final round in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

Daniel Ricciardo

Q1: You won three races last year, but perhaps your best performance came in Abu Dhabi. Fair assessment?

Ricciardo: Honestly yeah, I think it really was my best weekend of 2014. It wasn't a win but I nailed qualifying. I nailed the race. I nailed the whole thing. 

Pace, consistency, everything was awesome and it got me from the back of the grid to fourth, so yes, in terms of pure performance, it was my best race.

Q2: Yas Marina isn't an obvious Daniel Ricciardo happy place, but you like the circuit more than we'd expect.

Ricciardo: I do. I like the last sector in particular because that turns it into an exciting track. It's twisty and you get right up close with the walls. You also have to contend with your tires going off because the start of the lap is so fast. By the third sector, you're really having to manage your rubber. It's a challenge.

Q3: What does twilight racing bring to the party?

Ricciardo: I think starting in the sun and ending in the dark is pretty cool. Actually, I think the whole atmosphere of the weekend is pretty cool. 

Lots of Aussies make the trip – lots of Europeans, and there's a really good multicultural scene. Lots of boat parties in the marina. Lots of fun. I do like Abu Dhabi.

Q4: What's your plan after Abu Dhabi?

Ricciardo: I'll probably stay out for a few days and do some riding in the desert. I did that after Bahrain too and it was good fun.

Q5: Cars? Horses? Camels?

Ricciardo: Bikes! I do enjoy the UAE. I love the heat, and the whole outdoor lifestyle. It's great for dirt bikes, buggies, whatever. There's not really any rules. You can ride where you like. I'll have some fun.

Daniil Kvyat

Q1: Final round – Abu Dhabi. It's a circuit that has some particularly good memories for you isn't it?

Kvyat: I generally enjoy most tracks, and in one way or another they all have good associations. But yes, it's particularly the case at Yas Marina because I won the GP3 championship there. I had a good qualifying there last year. I was fifth on the grid, I think, but the race didn't work out so well as I had to retire with an engine problem. 

Still, it's been enjoyable. It's a good track to drive, even if it's one of the modern ones with the big run-off areas. It's very technical though, and it takes some time to get your head around it. Do that and you'll get a good lap, but it's not as easy as it looks.

Q2: What do you recall about that GP3 win in 2013, standing on the podium at Yas?

Kvyat: Two things: The first is that winning always feels great, and the second is that it's actually the last race that I won, so it's a bloody long time ago! I'd really like to change that. I miss that feeling a lot.

Q3: It is the last race of the season, and for most of the paddock that comes with a definite "schools out" feeling. Do you get that too?

Kvyat: Actually, it's a kind of a sad weekend in some ways, because it's the last race of the season, which for a driver is not great. Sure, you're mentally tired after a long season, but whenever the racing stops there's a bit of an empty feeling inside. You really miss racing. At least I do. But I'm sure I'll find some way of having some fun in the winter.

The Human Challenge in F1: Rob Marshall Ahead of the Abu Dhabi GP

Go behind the scenes of the final race of the 2015 season. Abu Dhabi brings a unique set of challenges from practice in the afternoon to a race at dusk

Infiniti Red Bull Racing previews the upcoming 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix.

Daniel Ricciardo

Q1: OK Daniel, what's so good about the Hungarian Grand Prix?

Ricciardo: 

How long have you got? The Hungarian Grand Prix has a lot going for it. Personally, I love these races in the European summer when you have the high temperatures and – usually – the great weather. Plus, it's the final race before the summer break, and that tends to put everyone in a good mood. 

There's usually a really good party on Sunday night and, because of the break, everyone tends to stay and have fun. Budapest is a cool city – really good restaurants and bars, really nice, really loyal fans and basically a great place to have a grand prix. That's the short version.

Q2: Your opinion of the track is a little mixed.

Ricciardo: 

It's a great, great track for a qualifying lap, one of the best of the year. It's tight, twisty and bumpy, and you have to use a lot of curb, so getting in a low fuel, new tire lap right on the limit is lots and lots of fun. But, for the same reasons the race tends to be quite tight with not a lot of overtaking.

Q3: And yet...

Ricciardo: 

Well, yeah, last year was a great race for me. Of the three wins last year, it was the one where I was definitely most excited during the race. It's tough for me to judge, but probably it was the best performance of the three, purely because of the people I passed to finish in the lead. I had tires in better condition – excellent strategy from our guys – but Fernando and Lewis don't let you have the places for free. I had to really work for it.

Q4: And rumors of a good celebration afterwards...

Ricciardo: 

Yeah, that happened! Winning the race was awesome, but the fact I had half a dozen mates over for the race made it even better. What I said about Hungary being the final race before the break? We had a really good Sunday night.

Daniil Kvyat

Q1: After a good race in Britain – at what might be termed a power circuit – we're heading for the Hungaroring. What are you expecting from Budapest's very different and very twisty circuit?

Kvyat: 

I really used to enjoy it in Formula Renault 2.0, but it's probably a little bit too narrow for modern Formula One cars. But still, in qualifying it really makes you push to the limit. You're right on the edge, and you never get a rest during the lap. I think that's the biggest characteristic of the circuit.

Q2: You mentioned racing in junior series. Has Hungary been kind to you in the past?

Kvyat: 

I was on pole and won there in Formula Renault 2.0 in 2012 and was on the podium in GP3 in the feature race, so I've got pretty good memories of racing here.

Q3: Is it a technically demanding track, a place where you have to be inch-perfect?

Kvyat: 

It is pretty challenging, yes. You need to hit every apex right. Don't make any mistakes in your line selection. It's quite a difficult one to get right, but I do find it to be a lot of fun.

Q4: Speaking of fun, Budapest comes with a reputation of being one of F1's more party-oriented venues. Do you get the chance to get out and about?

Kvyat: 

It's one of the best cities we go to during the whole championship. Budapest is very cool. We don't go crazy, obviously, but there are a few really nice restaurants along the river – particularly one Italian where I go quite often when I have time. I really like it along the river. It's cool.

BIT OF FUN - RED BULL free runner let loose at Red Bull's Milton Keynes F1 facility.....

Red Bull's world champion free runner, Ryan Doyle, defied gravity at Infiniti Red Bull Racing's F1 factory in Milton Keynes on a recent visit. Sit back and check out how the factory becomes the ultimate free running F1 playground. 

Ryan's creative free running style and strength, combined with his background in martial arts and a philosophy of not living in fear and making mistakes, take his art to the next level.

Infiniti Red Bull Racing Previews the Monaco Grand Prix.

Daniel Ricciardo

Q1: So, you're the unofficial chief cheerleader for the Monaco circuit, what makes you like it so much?

Ricciardo: From the driver's point of view – and maybe teams see it differently – the best thing about coming to Monaco is that it's a circuit where the driver has more influence on events. Driving a Formula One car anywhere is special: The speed, the power and the acceleration just blows you away. But here it's like trying to do a lap in a supermarket, and that's just so, so cool. 

I know there's that quote about racing at Monaco being like riding a bicycle around your bathroom. Well, when I was a kid, I used to love riding my little bike around inside the house. It was more fun. There were more obstacles and a bit more danger. 

That really is what this is like. You have the walls around the circuit and the bumps on the track that make it a bit more real. The circuit has a lot of character. You can feel that in the car. You can't afford mistakes. 

Your concentration levels rocket and you tend to amaze yourself with how quickly you manage to do everything. Just completing a lap feels like an achievement. It feels like a challenge.

Q2: Is it all about the track?

Ricciardo: Not at all. The Monaco Grand Prix is the real deal. There's so much energy surrounding it: the big boats, the big spenders, the cool people, the Hollywoods – it's all there. I wouldn't say I'm massively into that stuff at any other time of the year, but it creates a crazy atmosphere over the weekend here, and that really makes the adrenaline rocket.

Q3: You're now a resident of Monaco. Will you walk down to the paddock and take it all in over the weekend?

Ricciardo: I could – but I won't. I'll be in team kit and I reckon I'd end up stopping for a chat every 10 paces and get to work a couple of hours late. People in the garage tend to frown on that! Maybe I could wear a disguise. Hey! Perhaps I'm that guy with the moustache, sunglasses and baseball cap standing next to you right now.

Q4: What's Monaco like for the other 11 months of the year? Where do you hang out?

Ricciardo: You'll be shocked to hear that there are some cool clubs and restaurants. You can't see it from TV but there's a really nice place – it keeps changing its name but I think it's one of Flavio's – underneath the entrance to the tunnel with a really nice view out into the Mediterranean. 

Then there's the bars around Rascasse; they're always fun – not that I'm a big hitter on the club scene or anything.

Another fairly regular place for a lot of the guys is Sass Café. It has the advantage of being open seven nights a week and even on a Sunday night it's open until 3 a.m. That can be pretty handy if you're getting back late from a race or team event and don't fancy a dinner of instant noodles.

Daniil Kvyat

Q1: It's often said that Monaco presents drivers with the ultimate test. Is that a fair description? Is it a daunting prospect for a racer?

Kvyat: It's a real "confidence" circuit. You need to be in tune with it. You need to find yourself – find the flow. You need to find the right approach mentally, and with the car you just have to make it happen.

In the beginning it's a big test. To go out and find that confidence is not easy, and you always question yourself, asking: "When is it going to happen? When am I going to feel it enough to really go for it?" But at some point in the weekend, it just happens. You find the rhythm and the lap time comes. When it works like that, when you get yourself in the right place and you find a good understanding with the track, it's great.

Q2: It's a circuit you've only ever raced in Formula One. Are you still discovering new things about it?

Kvyat: Yes, definitely. I did pretty well in qualifying last year (9th), but I only did a handful of laps in the race because I had a problem with the car, so I would yes. I'm not sure there's a special secret about it, and there's no one area that holds the key. It's just a really massive lap. The whole thing seems to go by in one breath. It's just as well it's a short lap.

Q3: What about the sense of history in Monaco and the crazy atmosphere on the streets? Do you find yourself getting caught up in those things or do they get in the way?

Kvyat: In terms of the atmosphere and so on, I'll be perfectly honest and say that, for me, it's not the best. It's really confined and there's not much chance to get some space for yourself. It is totally unique, and it is an amazing place, but for me the trick is to try to remove myself from that and focus on what we're there to do.