It seems like an eternity since the last Formula 1 race, doesn’t it? But something has stuck with me. Specifically something James Allen wrote about qualifying: “It is the first time that Red Bull hasn’t had both cars in the top ten since 2009.”

Remember when Red Bull Racing were rubbish? Remember when they didn’t have Adrian Newey? Remember when they weren’t even Red Bull Racing? Of course you do – you’re not an idiot.

But I am, so I’ve done some revision. Here’s the result: a graph of points by race (based on the 2010 points system, ignoring awkward things like half points for the odd race) for the team from Milton Keynes (Stewart, Jaguar, Red Bull). The lines are five-race rolling averages for each team.

Stewart Grand Prix grabbed a podium in only their fifth race, and had a very fine final year in 1999, finishing 4th overall and taking the first win for the team from Milton Keynes. Before that, their main problem was retirements: 76 percent of race starts in 1997, 63 percent in 1998. Not clever.

Jaguar Racing didn’t reach such heights in the constructors’ championship, but did bag a couple of podiums, and were certainly more consistent than Stewart Grand Prix. By which I really mean they finished a lot more races.

The most striking thing about Red Bull Racing is that, until 2009, they weren’t doing appreciably better than Stewart or Jaguar did. So it wasn’t an injection of cash which pushed the team up the order; it was an injection of Adrian Newey. But he joined Red Bull way back in 2006, so even the Newey effect isn’t that simple. Something to be explored another time, perhaps.

Since 2009, the team has been ludicrously successful. But no-one needs a graph to tell them that.

Hat tip to doctorvee, whose Williams graph make me think to add a rolling average.