The RB16B helped Max Verstappen end Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton’s streak and thereby become F1 world champion for the first time. Red Bull won 11 of the 22 races in 2021 but ultimately lost the constructors’ title to the German outfit.
Autosport readers have voted the RB16B the best racing car of the year for 2021, ahead of its rival the Mercedes W12 , as well as Formula E winner the Mercedes-EQ Silver Arrow 02 and the Toyota GR010 Hybrid , who dominated the World Endurance Championship and finished first and second at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Red Bull ‘s victory was announced on February 6 at the Autosport Awards , which were brought back to life thanks to a live event at Grosvenor House on Park Lane, following the virtual 2020 edition as a result of the COVID19 pandemic. .
Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB15 Mule
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
It’s the first time a “non-Mercedes” car has won the award since 2013, when Red Bull won it thanks to the RB9 . Past winners of the illustrious award include the Porsche 956 , the McLaren MP4/4 , the Williams FW14B , the Ferrari F2004 and the Brawn BGP 001 .
Other categories decided by fan voting include: International Driver of the Year presented by Pirelli, British Competition Driver of the Year, International Car of the Year presented by Blink Experience, International Rally Driver of the Year, Car of the Year of Rally, the National Driver of the Year and the Driver of the Year in eSports presented by Motorsport Games.
Other awards, decided by experts, include the Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award and the Pioneer and Innovation Award presented by Mahindra Racing, which also incorporates the John Bolster Trophy for technical achievement. New awards for 2021 include the Gold Medal incorporating the Gregor Grant Award and the eSports Team of the Year presented by Motorsport Games .
To find out who our other award winners are, visit autosport.com/awards
