Hamilton puts the rubber to the road with Pirelli

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While he may not be a fan of tyre testing, Lewis Hamilton still assumed a heavy workload yesterday at Paul Ricard with Pirelli.

The Mercedes driver covered 114 laps as he put the Italian manufacturer's 2018 rubber to the road, amassing mileage and perhaps also a bit of knowledge for next season, just like Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel did last year.

Valtteri Bottas will take over driving duties for Friday's second and final day of testing.

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.