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Red Bull Powertrains boosts leadership team with key Mercedes personnel!

Red Bull Powertrains has announced five key additions to its leadership team, all of which have been hired from Mercedes as Red Bull's recently created engine department continues to build its foundation.

Red Bull is in the process of establishing a new unit at Milton Keynes that will take over Honda's engine program from 2022 until the end of 2024, at which point the company will have produced its own engine package to power its cars from 2025.

Last month, Red Bull Powertrains announced the appointment of Mercedes HPP head of engineering Ben Hodgkinson as its technical director.

As its recruitment programs ramps up, RBP recently added the following key personnel to its team of technical experts, all of which will be moving from Mercedes' HPP unit in Brixworth to Milton Keynes.

Mercedes' head of manufacturing Steve Blewett has been appointed as Red Bull's power unit production director.

Mercedes' F1 electronics team leader Omid Mostaghimi will become Red Bull's head of powertrains, electronics and ERS.

Anton Mayo, a Mercedes engineering team leader, is set to become the head of power unit design ICE at RBP.

Mercedes' F1 trackside and final inspection manager Steve Brodie will assume the role of Group Leader ICE Operations, while Mercedes' F1 power unit concept team leader Pip Clode will has been appointed as Red Bull's head of mechanical design ERS.

RBP will also soon welcome to its team a new Head of Mechanical Development, whose name will be announced in the coming weeks.

"Red Bull’s mission to bring all aspects of its Formula One operations in-house through Red Bull Powertrains is an enormously exciting undertaking but also an extremely demanding one, and we know that success will only be achieved by bringing in the best and brightest talent, by providing them with the right tools and by creating the right environment in which they can thrive," commented Red Bull racing team boss Christian Horner.

Read also: Wolff expected engine personnel 'battleground' with Red Bull

"Today’s key leadership team appointments demonstrate our strong commitment to those goals and we certainly benefit from our campus being located in the UK where we have access to a huge wealth of engineering talent.

"Working with our new Technical Director, Ben Hodgkinson, and alongside key personnel retained from Honda Racing Development, each of the senior personnel announced today bring a wealth of experience, expertise and innovativity to the Red Bull Powertrains programme and provide us with the strongest possible technical platform for the future."

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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.