Behind The Scenes With Red Bull Racing At Last Weekend's Austrian Grand Prix

Last weekend I attended the Red Bull Ring for the Austrian Grand Prix. Just hours before the race took place, Red Bull Racing was kind enough to give me a tour of the team’s facilities.

It all started at the impressive Energy Station, which is the Milton Keynes-based outfit’s three-storey motorhome in the paddock. It is a huge structure that is shared by Red Bull Racing and its sister team Toro Rosso.

On the ground floor there is a bar and eating area for the team - which is also where some of the media sessions take place - with identical office spaces on either side for both Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso.

There is an office for senior management - this is where Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner will be when he isn’t in the garage or sitting on the pit wall - as well as communications, marketing offices and driver rooms.

Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo each have two spaces. One is a prep area with bathroom facilities, while the other is more of a chill out room with a sofa, desk and storage for race suits, helmets and gloves.

Upstairs is where the VIPs, media, sponsors and team partners are catered for. There are balconies at the front and the back, with the former giving a great view of the paddock below.

The main aim of the Energy Station when it was introduced was for it to be an open and neutral area, where everyone is welcome and can meet. Around 35 people work in the motorhome over a race weekend.

The third and top floor is reserved for very, very special VIPs and for important meetings.

Next up, I was shown what the team call ‘The Tree House’. It is a two-storey structure located at the back of the Red Bull Racing garage.

Two pods on either side are for storing parts, while the space inbetween is where the Pirelli tyres are prepared. Upstairs there are two rooms for engineering meetings.

I was then - incredibly - shown around the team’s garage, which was a hive of activity with just a few hours until lights out. The rear is separated into different rooms for composites, fuel, data monitoring (where Red Bull and Renault engineers assess the data from both cars) and other preparation areas.

Daniel Ricciardo’s car is on the left and Sebastian Vettel’s RB10 is on the right. Both engine covers were off, so it was fantastic to take a look at the V6 Turbo power-units and the complexity of the machines. I didn’t dare touch anything.

It was great to take a look around Red Bull Racing’s facilities at their home track. The race didn’t go to plan for the team, so they will be hoping for a better showing at the Silverstone circuit.