Sticky business - RBR

Later tonight, (9 March) Red Bull is staging a party to reveal the new 2006 liveries for both its teams, but spare a thought for the Red Bull Racing team personnel who won’t even get to the launch party. Today, in the garage, the three cars – two race and one spare – have been partially disguised as the mechanics set about getting them ready for the first practice session on Friday.

Later tonight, the shutters will come down, the doors will be closed and the job of redecorating the racers in their new colours will begin. It’s a major operation, as each of the Red Bull Racing cars needs 45 stickers and things like spare nose cones and wings also have to be re-liveried. Three guys will attack one car each, taking four hours to complete the job. Our friends the Toro Rosso gang have an even more complex livery, which means two men working on each car and taking a staggering eight hours to get the job done. None of the race drivers should even consider spinning off the track tomorrow if they don’t want to be lynched by their crew.