Behind The Scenes Tours Offered by UK F1 Teams

Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of the country's top Formula One teams? Now might be your chance to find out!

To celebrate National Motor Sport Week, all eight of the F1 teams based in the UK are opening their doors to 20 lucky VIP competition winners to give them a guided tour of their specialist headquarters. The scheme is aimed at highlighting the strong presence popular F1 teams have in the country and the success of British F1 teams and drivers both past and present.

Since the FIA F1 World Championship was formed in 1950, UK teams have managed to notch up a total of 34 Constructors' Championships, while Britain has also crowned more F1 champions than any other country in the world.

Among the teams who are offering specialist factory tours are Red Bulling Racing (Milton Keynes), Mercedes GP Petronas (Brackley), AT&T Williams (Wantage), Team Lotus (Hingham) and Vodafone McLaren Mercedes (Woking). Marussia Virgin Racing (Sheffield), Lotus Renault GP (Enstone) and Force India (Silverstone) will also be opening their doors.

'We are delighted that the eight UK-based F1 teams are leading National Motor Sport Week from the front by opening their doors to the public, particularly at the height of their busiest period around the Goodwood Festival of Speed and the British Grand Prix. While their participation helps to underline the UK's leadership in international motor sport, National Motor Sport Week is about much more than F1; it's about people getting out there and getting involved in motor sport for the first time,' commented chief executive of the Motor Sports Association Colin Hilton.

Full details of the competition can be found at www.gomotorsport.net. Other events on offer celebrate the week include a behind the scenes tour of Podrive - the home of Aston Martin Racing and the new Mini WRC team - and a photographer's master-class with world renowned F1 photographer Drew Gibson.