By Ian Lockwood
December 13 2005

The mood at Red Bull Racing has an air of cautious optimism about it. The RB2 is due to make its track debut this week, giving plenty of time for pre-season development, and the Ferrari V8 is rumoured to be a strong unit.

Drivers are often retiscent to give pre-season predictions - particularly before a new car has turned a wheel.

Red Bull race driver Christian Klien, however, hopes to secure his first formula one podium in 2006. The Austrian, who's been given the full time ride next year after seat-swapping with Vitantonio Liuzzi this season, reckons the Milton Keynes based team is sure to make a 'step forward' with RB2. "We would very much like to achieve our first podium," he told ORF's Sport am Sonntag. "I think with Ferrari engines we will have the potential," the 22-year-old said. "We will try, anyway."

His teamate David Coulthard thinks his young counterpart could be setting his sights too low and wants to re-visit the top step in 2006. DC has also been speaking out about how integral he feels to the Red Bull set-up. He commented that at Mclaren he was a driver & marketing tool - no more. At Red Bull, he has a much greater input on the direction & development of both team in car. He has commented that if the RB2 is a poor car, he has to shoulder some of the blame. This could be his modest way of also sharing the credit if the car is a big jump forward.