Race and classic pictures

Seb gets a buzz building a bee hotel with the kids

We all know Sebastian Vettel's eco-conscious approach to his daily existence, which by the way isn't incompatible with being an F1 driver.

Last year, in between rounds of racing at the Red Bull Ring, the four-time world champion spent a few days on an organic farm where he got accounted with bee-keeping.

This year, in an effort to raise the younger generation's awareness to bees and to the all-important role they play in our ecosystem, the Aston Martin driver set up a competition for local schools in Styria involving the creation of a bee hotel in the shape of an F1 car.

"Sebastian had the idea of starting a creative hands-on competition together with the Styrian elementary schools in order to bring the children closer to the topic of species protection," stated Vettel’s website.

After selecting his favourite bee-hotel project, the 53-time Grand Prix winner set about building the future hive with the kids in a near-by field.

"The idea behind the project is obviously to create more space for insects and bees, because they have a very very important task," Vettel explained.

"Without bees, the world wouldn't be as good as it is!"

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

Recent Posts

‘A bit more alive’: Leclerc hails F1’s lighter, meaner new era cars

Formula 1’s 2026 technical revolution hasn’t just changed the blueprints in Maranello; it has handed…

1 hour ago

Buon Compleanno to the original Super Mario!

From the small village of Montona where he was born to a refugee camp in…

3 hours ago

Engine saga over? FIA closes controversial Mercedes loophole

Formula 1’s simmering engine row has finally boiled over – and the FIA has moved…

4 hours ago

F1 scraps farcical two-stop rule for 2026 Monaco GP

The FIA and Formula 1 have performed a rare and welcome U-turn, scrapping the ill-fated…

5 hours ago

Wolff admits to Mercedes breakthrough: ‘It’s a relief’

Toto Wolff and the Mercedes team have finally traded their ground-effect headaches of the past…

7 hours ago

Verstappen keeping it real: 'Red Bull not ready to win in Melbourne'

As Formula 1 prepares to launch a radically new era in Melbourne next week –…

8 hours ago