Red Bull Racing #OPENHOUSE

On Friday 21st June 2013 I found out two things. (a) Milton Keynes does in fact have a ridiculously high number of roundabouts and (b) that the Red Bull Racing factory is perhaps one of the coolest places I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. 

Fortunately for me, this little old blog bagged me a ticket to the Austrian team’s highly exclusive #OPENHOUSE event. This is where for one day only, between 40-50 fans (plus a few journos thrown in) got to have rare access to the team’s slick, busy factory and the chance to meet a few of the team’s top personnel. 
 
I can only describe the day in one word: epic. The access we had was incredible and we got to tour the factory which is something very few people get to do - although no pictures were allowed… more on that later. After a two hour car journey and a number of wrong turns (strangely none at the roundabouts) we pulled into the Red Bull Racing car park. Immediately you are hit by a former car - probably a replica - that has been hung on the wall like a painting. It makes quite an entrance to the factory. 

(c) Myself and Group Leader/ Junior PR Lyndsey

It's hard to miss it also due to the mass of blue, red and yellow that adorns the side of the building. You definitely know that you have arrived. Upon arrival I was directed to a large marque which was decked out in typical Red Bull style. Beanbags, deck chairs, a DJ plus food and drink too. I approached the sign in desk to meet Lyndsey who turned out to be my group leader. She's a junior press officer at Red Bull Racing and has so far attended a handful of races - one including Monaco as she told me with a big grin on her face. 

Rather unbelievably, she informed me that she had recently read my 'Red Bull's rise to the top' piece and really likes my blog. I was astounded at the fact that someone within the team had read my work. Throughout the day attendees were split into six groups - in my group there were 15 people. There were a number of activities set up around the factory base and teams moved around to each activity like circuit training apart from grouping together for lunch and the Q & A sessions. 

After a chat with Craig Norman from Badger GP - who I had met previously - and Matt Somerfield (that's right, THE @SomersF1), and a welcome talk we grouped up and headed off for our first task; a talk with Head of Technical Partnerships Al Peasland. After gathering in the meeting room, Al started by giving us a taste of what Red Bull is as a brand. He later went on to explain the differing development parts of the car alongside the logistical challenges of herding 100 odd personnel around the world. 

A panorama shot of the marquee

He also revealed that the car is in fact made up of 7,000 individual pieces which in turn when they are taken apart can mount up to hundredths of thousands. We also found out about the crash testing procedures - where the 7,000 piece equipment is then deliberately destroyed - and the wind tunnel which is based just down the road in Bedford. It was a highly interesting chat that took us through a wide range of topics (all on the subject of the team of course) and gave great insight into the likes of how tough it really is to cart a whole team around the world to who Red Bull are as a company and the rise to the top that they have had. 

After filing out of Meeting Room 1, we then headed out into the reception where the Red Bull trophy cabinet stands. It really is incredibly tall, about the same height as a two story house or even more and there's still room to extend it! Myself, Craig and team member Melanie discussed our favourite trophies - some that are replicas, others that are the real deal - and I had my photo taken in front of the display. Note that there are plenty more trophies above my head after the photo cuts off... 

The very tall trophy cabinet!

We then returned to the marquee where the team had devised a fun little game. I say fun; it proved to be very competitive. It was the Pit Stop Challenge. In front of me sat the chassis of a 2008 Formula One car with four Pirelli tyres and two wheel guns. We were split into teams - with one person deciding to take photos rather than participate - before being split in half again to form four sets of three. 

The challenge was to go head to head and get the fastest pit stop time. Every person in the group of three had a role: wheel off, wheel on and wheel gun. The guns were not near as powerful as the ones that you see mechanics use when Sebastian Vettel drifts into the pits at the Canadian Grand Prix on route to first place but they still did the job and proved to be tricky to use. Our side's best time was 8.80 seconds but the other team beat us by 0.72 to take victory. It really isn't as easy as it looks and the wheels are surprisingly heavy and tricky to both take off and take on. I will right now put my hand up and say I was awful at it. Little did we know that our group was the worst of the day... 

Pit Stop Challenge!

Following that spot of fun, we sat in front of some yoga balls and fitness equipment for a chat with Bernie Shrosbree who is a fitness coach whose previous 'students' if you will include Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button and Mark Webber. He talked us through g-forces and used yoga balls and visualisation techniques to demonstrate the forces that drivers face lap after lap. Drivers have to be stronger than you think. You may look at them and think "they look proper skinny like" but they are fit athletes who can take a hell of a lot of g-force and put up with the strains of a two hour race. 

Next up came lunch. It was nice, a BBQ, but with little choice and with a lack of tables and chairs I found myself reclined in a bean bag. That's when we also found out the news that Mercedes had been reprimanded and banned from the Young Driver Test after their International Tribunal. I tried to keep abreast of what had been going on but to be honest; we were in a Red Bull bubble for the whole day. 

Myself and Lee McKenzie

Post-lunch, Lee McKenzie showed up prior to conducting the Q & A session with Mark Webber. I felt this was the perfect time to ask for a photo and myself and Ryan from F1Times wandered over to ask her permission. She kindly agreed but she probably regretted it soon after due to the flock of fans that joined in on the photo-taking fun. You know the trend setters that we are. Mark entered looking smiley and relaxed before taking to the stage. Rather disappointingly though, questions were asked from tweets sent in the previous day and there was no chance for the floor to ask questions. All my prep-time the night before had been a waste of time.

Most of them were completely random and either involved bank robberies or the world ending (or something along those lines). What we did find out is that he would be the getaway driver for said bank robbery and if he had to choose one RBR team member to be for the day he would be Adrian Newey. However he did discuss the next race to some degree and he revealed that he is looking forward to racing at his second 'home race' and feels confident that he can challenge at the front. 

Next up came the signing session where every attendee was able to meet Mark, get a photo taken with him and get some things signed. It was the briefest of chats, introducing myself, asking how we both were; I asked how he thinks his chances will be for the race. He responded "good" and asked if I was having a good time. My response: "An awesome time." Pose, picture taken, a wish of good luck and I was off again albeit a signed RBR hat, card and lanyard better off. 

Mark chats to Lee during the Q & A

What swiftly followed was my favourite part of the day; the factory tour. Now I was hugely disappointed to have to hand over my electronic belongings (or "anything that can take a photo") and place them in a plastic bag that was then handed in to staff for safe keeping. I was hoping to gain some snaps for those who follow me on Twitter or Like my Facebook page but unfortunately you will have to put up with the stock images from the Red Bull Racing media centre. It's understandable though. I felt like I should have bought some secret button camera or something. Maybe next time... 

We started off by heading to the manufacturing department where our team leader Lyndsey revealed that all parts that are on the car are made on site other than a few things like Engines – Renault recently unveiled the 2014 engine that will power the Red Bull – and gearboxes. We got to see some machines at work and most are automated which means a limit to human labour. We also got to peak into their autoclaves and hear about some of the procedures to producing F1 car parts along with wind tunnel models. 

There were lots of old parts to look at in numerous display cabinets around the factory. The manufacturing section was quite frankly massive and oddly clean. Everything was pristine with not a speck of dust in sight. There were plenty of doors that were off-limits including the designing offices and departments were top secret 2014 stuff was being thought up and made into reality. Saying that though, Craig (from Badger GP) and I did manage to spot some RB10 moulds and parts. You know, as you do. 

We then headed deeper into the main building where we saw the paint shops were and some of the other manufacturing areas. We then moved upstairs to the Operations Centre which is a fantastic room. It contains a large amount of monitors and chairs alongside massive screens at the front of the windowless room. During a race, this room will be a hive of activity with strategists and team members analysing data and working out differing race situations. We took part in a little activity whereby Head of Race Strategy Will Courteney replaced what would be a live race feed with a computerised simulation. The race finish was closing in but Vettel needed to make one last pit stop. Suddenly the safety car emerges after Perez crashes at Brooklands. We have to make a snap decision, choose the hard tyre or the soft tyre to complete the final 15 laps. I voted the hard and I was right.

(c) Red Bull Racing

After that little activity we headed back down and had a look at a few other rooms and manufacturing departments before heading across to the race bays. This is where the cars are taken to be taken apart and put back together to be transported to the race tracks. Team Manager Jonathan Wheatley was there to greet us on a mezzanine level overlooking the three race bays - one for a spare chassis, one for Vettel's car and the other for Webber's RB9. Wheatley explained that we were incredibly fortunate to see the cars in the race bays as they only take to the area nine times a year due to the gruelling schedule. 

However the mood around the Race Bay part of the factory was relatively relaxed as the team had plenty of time to fit and build the cars - hence why they were only about one third finished. Jonathan explained to us about pit stops and we had a go at feeling the weight of the Pirelli tyres, wheel guns and rear jack. He also explained the make-shift pit box with a year old car sitting in it which the teams use for practice. 

That concluded the tour but one typically Red Bull thing that I also noticed was the amount of drinks machines dotted around the factory. Each department must have had at least two Red Bull shaped drinks cooler stocked full of the energy drink for team members to help themselves and keep energised. It was also telling how busy the manufacturing side were when one team member waltzed past us and was asked how busy he was. He replied "very busy" and it's clear to see why as attentions divert not only to the 2013 car but also to next year’s design. 

Christian Horner chats to Lee McKenzie in the day's final Q & A

After the fantastic factory tour we returned to the marquee for the Christian Horner Q and A. It was similarly disappointing with the lack of from the floor questions and there were some truly hilarious questions asked. What did we learn? That if he was a wrestler he would be called "Heavy Handed Horner", he would most like to work in the marketing team if he wasn't Team Principal as it is a "cushy" job and one of his most memorable radio messages was David Coulthard proclaiming "You're idiots. You're all a bunch of f*****g idiots" after the team failed to use team orders to benefit the Scot when a Toro Rosso car was holding him up. 

There was also a joke on the subject of Mercedes - whose fate we had earlier heard about - before the meet and greet. I congratulated him on his OBE, asked how he was, posed for a photo and I was off. The day rounded off with a group photo before we all dispersed and went our separate ways. 

What's clearly evident is that Red Bull knows how to treat the fans. More Formula One teams should do these events. They are also incredibly busy with design and manufacturing work and are feeling confident ahead of the British Grand Prix. They aren't just the 'party team.' Whilst they have fun, they are incredibly serious about winning titles and races and adding to that huge trophy cabinet. 

The Red Bull show car

I have to admit that the Red Bull Racing #OPENHOUSE event was a great day, one of the best I have had in my 18 years on this earth as it was a great to get an insight into how a team works. I also received a goody bag that included a piece of carbon fibre from one of their cars alongside a range of other gifts - one of which is signed and will be given away in a competition in the near future.

Thanks to Katie in the Red Bull PR department for inviting me and Lyndsey for being such a lovely and helpful group leader.

Here's some of the professional shots from Getty Images:

 The three images above are (c) Getty Images

For more images from the #OPENHOUSE event check out my blog's Facebook page album.