Horner wins auction bid to tour Mercedes F1 factory!

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Christian Horner will exploit every opportunity available to help Red Bull gain an edge over its rivals, including entering a charity auction to gain access to Mercedes' F1 factory in Brackley!

The 2022 F1 season is just around the corner and amid the excitement, teams are putting the finishing touches to their all-new contenders.

Pre-season testing is anxiously awaited by F1 fans and teams as everyone will be eager to search for tell-tale signs about who may have got it right or wrong.

Read also: Horner serves FIA duty for Qatar GP 'rogue marshal' comment

Red Bull and reigning world champion Max Verstappen will be hoping its RB18 will find itself in the camp of the winners.

And to try and gain an extra edge this season, the Milton Keynes-based outfit's long-standing team boss won't leave any stone unturned.

©RedBull

The Grand Prix Trust which provides help and advice to Formula One’s trackside and factory-based team personnel to help put their lives back on track when things go wrong is conducting its annual charity auction, and the F1 community has donated a raft of lots to bid on.

Mercedes generously offered the auction a factory tour and, low and behold, the top bid stands at £4,000 and was submitted this weekend by one 'Chrisrian Horner'.

Whether the name includes a typo or is a not-so-subtle attempt by Horner to cover his tracks, only time will tell but the Red Bull team boss was definitely willing to pay a heft amount for the privilege of touring Mercedes' F1 factory!

Interestingly, Red Bull also donated a factory tour to the Grand Prix Trust's charity auction. But Horner's Mercedes counter-part Toto Wolff didn't pull out his credit card and follow suit?

You can view the lots and final bids of the charity auction which is now closed right here.

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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.