Ickx the Ringmeister conquers his final Grand Prix win

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On this day in 1972, Jacky Ickx led home a Ferrari 1-2 at the German Grand Prix held at the Nurburgring.

A master of the daunting 'green hell' circuit, the Belgian ace enjoyed a flag-to-flag win at the wheel of his beautiful 312B2, dominating a field from which championship leaders Emerson Fittipaldi and Jackie Stewart were both forced to retire.

The latter was battling the Scuderia's Clay Regazzoni for second on the final lap when the two cars touched, pitching the Tyrrell into the barriers, much to Stewart's dismay.

Ickx's triumph was his eighth and final Grand Prix win.

The 80-year-old legend still visits the F1 paddock on a regular basis, and he was indeed at Spa-Francorchamps last weekend where he deservedly waved the checkered flag in classy fashion at the end of Sunday's race.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.