Ex-F1 star beaten by baton-wielding thugs in ‘planned’ robbery outside home

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    Former Red Bull driver Robert Doornbos was beaten with batons in a violent attack while his Rolex watch was stolen outside his Amsterdam home.

    The 41-year-old, who raced for both Minardi and Red Bull in 2006, was ambushed back in March with his phone also stolen after he was struck over the head.

    It is thought that thieves tracked the movements of his car using a high-tech device before carrying out the attack, with the driver saying that he was shaken by the incident but has since recovered.

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    He told RTL Boulevard: "It was intense. I no longer wear expensive watches, only an Apple Watch, so at least I can count my steps."

    The attack took place just after midnight local time into Saturday March 18, with Doornbos not going into too much detail due to the ongoing police investigation.

    Police reporting states that having got out of his car, a man with a club approached Doornbos before he was struck on the head as a second man joined the assault.

    The event came months after the headlights of Doornbos' Porsche were taken from his car, after which he shared images on social media.

    The report mentions the expected use of a GPS tracker under his car, in a similar incident to one that targeted Dusan Tadic last year – in which nothing was taken.

    Doornbos has had an extended motor racing career that includes spells with IndyCar, Formula Three, and the Champ Car World Series, with 11 F1 entries.

    All 11 came across the 2005 and 2006 World Championships, racing under both the Monegasque and Dutch banners.

    Doornbos was more recently in the news for co-founding a company that worked in the production of sex toys, as well as working as F1 analyst.

    The company website says it sells 'next-generation toys for couples who are far apart'.

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