Celebrity challenge drive raises over $100,000.

The head of a Melbourne-based power tools company will drive in the BMW Celebrity Challenge at the 2005 Foster's Australian Grand Prix after a winning auction bid of more than Aus $100,100 that will go to aid victims of the Asian tsunami.

Peter Hosking, chief executive of Global Machinery Company, won a fierce bidding contest on Ebay for the drive in one of BMW's exciting new 1 Series cars against 27 celebrities at the Grand Prix in March.

Australian Grand Prix Corporation chief executive Tim Bamford handed Hosking the keys to a BMW 1 Series at Albert Park this morning so he could have a brief - and slow - familiarisation in Pit Lane with the car he will race against the celebrities.

Bamford thanked Hosking for his "enormous generosity" in paying Aus $100,101.99 for the opportunity to drive in the BMW Celebrity Challenge - money which will go to tsunami relief through Oxfam, one of the key agencies co-ordinating aid for those countries so devastatingly hit on Boxing Day.

A big fan of Formula One, Hosking said the timing of the BMW Celebrity Challenge auction had been ideal for his company to do what it could for those affected by the disaster.

"It was perfect for us at GMC as we were looking, in association with our suppliers, at what we could do for the tsunami-affected areas," he said. "We have six Chinese companies that are our suppliers and they have basically matched GMC dollar-for-dollar in raising the money.

"The tsunami relief effort requires a really strong commitment and we were intent on doing our bit to contribute. I thank the Australian Grand Prix Corporation and BMW Group Australia for making this unbelievable opportunity available and trust that the money we are putting in is helpful in assisting in the rebuilding program."

Hosking, who has previously competed in the corporate kart race at the Grand Prix, admitted that he couldn't wait for the race to come round.

"That's been great fun, but the chance to drive in the BMW Celebrity Challenge is just something that would not otherwise have come along," he said. "The passion for motor racing is just natural to me. I like the speed, but it's something for the race track.

"Obviously I'm really looking forward to taking part in the celebrity challenge. I'll give it a real good go - and hopefully give the celebs a run for their money.

"I'll try to stay out of the sand traps - I've 'met' a couple of them in the karts - and I'll take a nothing-to-lose attitude into the event - but the main thing will be that we are contributing to the tsunami relief efforts."