Race and classic pictures

Tragedy follows triumph for Ferrari and Collins

Tragedy struck on this day, 67 years ago in 1958, when Peter Collins lost his life at the German Grand Prix after his Ferrari ran wide in the Pflanzgarten section of the circuit and somersaulted, flinging its helpless driver into a tree.

It was the second fatal accident in F1 in three races after the death of Luigi Musso at Reims a few weeks earlier. Collins' death came just two weeks after a brilliant win with Ferrari at the British GP.

A handsome young man from Kidderminster, Great Britain, Collins' talent behind the wheel of a racing car was matched by his off-track charisma.

A popular figure in Formula 1, his death caused enormous grief in the racing community and in the country as well.

His friendship with fellow Brit and Ferrari team mate Mike Hawthorn was perhaps as close as the sport has known. Sadly, Hawthorn would join his friend in the heavens just five months after the Nürburgring tragedy.

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.

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