Tullo takes charge of Red Bull in Texas with useful E3 points to build on and much less coming from the faster divisions. His appointment as Team Principal takes effect from round three, with the team sixth in BOTT on 116 points.
Aardvark has supplied the louder racing target. “I'm gonna win cota out of spite”, he wrote on 18 October. Two days later came Tullo’s appointment; Aardvark remains in Red Bull’s D2 line-up and is currently checked in for Texas.
That promised win would transform his own start to the season. Aardvark has yet to score in D2, where Zloober has supplied all twenty-six of Red Bull’s points. The Spain preview asked Zloober to turn his qualifying speed into a fuller race return. Aardvark’s Texas claim now puts a very different level of expectation on the other car.
However, the realists in the paddock will note that Aardvark is not the same driver who took E3 by storm two seasons ago, his pace has dramatically fallen off as off-track responsibilities outweighed the weekend hobby of sim racing.
Once he returned to track this season, he was greeted by the same field that he could gap in Season 6, except he saw them all in front of his car instead of behind. One wonders whether Aardvark will find any success, as he oozes an aura of mediocrity. He may only find solace in a demotion to L3, he looks set for it if his form continues down this shambolic path.
E3 gives Tullo a base, and a challenge
Tullo’s own division offers the clearest foundation. Ceetee and Tullo have contributed twenty-six and twenty-one points respectively, leaving Red Bull third in E3 on forty-seven. They are one point behind Williams and eighteen behind Audi, yet neither Red Bull has reached the podium in the opening two rounds. The pairing is scoring together without producing the leading finish it still needs.
Ahead of Spain, Tullo said: “I think Ceetee and I are a very good match as in terms of teammates.” That partnership assessment now sits beside a much wider responsibility. Their divisional constructors’ returns are only three points in D0 and one in D1, while D3 has brought twenty-nine. Improving the team total requires more than Tullo and Ceetee finding an E3 podium. Tullo now needs to lead from the front and turn his pole position qualifying form into a substantial race, or risk being branded a qualifying merchant for good.
Audi are thirty-eight points ahead in BOTT; VCARB are only seven behind. Tullo starts with pressure on both sides of sixth place, while Aardvark has volunteered a result big enough to help him move forwards.
