'Red Bull inching closer to Mercedes', says Horner

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Having outscored Ferrari in the last four races, Red Bull has now clearly positioned itself as Mercedes' closest challenger, a status the Milton Keynes-based outfit is keen to build on according to team boss Christian Horner.

When the season resumes in Belgium at the end of the month, Horner is hoping Red Bull will pick up where it left off following the double podium achieved by Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen in Hockenheim.

"Our objective is to close that gap further to Mercedes ahead," said Horner.

"You've always got to look ahead rather than behind. We've had great performance at a variety of circuits from Austria to Silverstone to Budapest and Germany.

"They are four very different venues, four different surfaces and that bodes well for the second half of the season. There are some races on the calendar which will hopefully be favourable to us."

Horner now estimates that the gap with Mercedes has dwindled down to 0.3 seconds thanks to the hard work accomplished both on the chassis and the engine fronts.

While Red Bull has now directed the bulk of its resources towards next season's car, Horner still believes more can be extracted from the potential of the RB12.

"We still have a few bits that we can tidy up on the car which are on the pipeline, which were kicked off some time ago. There is still progress going on with the engine with drivability.

"There are some positive things in the pipeline which can hopefully help us to try and close that gap further."

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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.