Red Bull Junior Team: Creating a Path for Young Drivers to Succeed in Formula 1

AUSTIN, Texas—When Sebastian Vettel surprised everyone before the Japanese Grand Prix with the news that he was leaving Red Bull at the end of the year, the team wasted no time in confirming his replacement. And just as they did last year, when Mark Webber retired, the team did not look for a big name or proven race winner to fill the empty seat. Instead, they promoted Daniil Kvyat from Toro Rosso, the latest in a string of successful graduates from the Red Bull Junior Team. The Junior Team's architect is Dr. Helmut Marko, a former Formula One driver and winner of the 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 71-year-old Austrian started the program in 1999, when Red Bull was still just an F1 sponsor, not a constructor. Over the years, it has bee...

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