Written by Owen Bradley, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri
Yes, that title is actually correct - somehow, I was allowed into Red Bull’s Factory, got a glimpse of some of their silverware, and even asked the security guard some questions.
This was a cool experience. I was on holiday, and suddenly realised that we were only about a 10 minute drive away from Red Bull HQ in Milton Keynes, UK. We drove up to the gate, and the security guard was kind enough to let us through to take some pictures of their trophies and even one of their cars.
If you’re ever in Milton Keynes and want to give the legs a good stretch, then taking a quick detour over to Red Bull HQ might just be an experience you won’t want to miss out on (just make sure to be kind to the guards, and they might just let you in).
We spoke to the security guard, who said that the trophies often are delivered to them within 24 hours of the race, which is pretty good to know! (We visited a day after the Belgian Grand Prix, where the team scored an incredible 1-2 finish, which might explain why the team were so friendly!).
Looking at their extensive trophy cabinet was just mesmerising, and you would be wondering where to look, while seeing the accolades the team has achieved over the years.
A fun fact, the guard actually revealed to us that he doesn’t actually watch much F1 - which to be honest, probably makes his job easier as he won’t be completely distracted by the trophies.
I’d very much like to thank Red Bull F1, and their security team - They were beyond generous, and I want to recommend this to anyone in the area!
So yeah, if you are ever in the UK, it would be worthwhile to take a trip down to Red Bull’s Factory. And, if you’re lucky enough to be let in, then you definitely will not regret it!
The most important question here is, did you spot anything that indicated to you they had breached the cost cap ? Excessive coffee machines perhaps ? A segway for the security gaurd to ride when walking would do ? Any evidence of a lightweight chassis sitting around in the car park or even a nicely own branded engine sitting in the reception area waiting to be signed for ? I would also love it if you could confirm if Geri Horner was manning the desk and helping people sign in and out ! Must have been some clues as to where this excess spend has gone 😉.