Race and classic pictures

The man who thwarted McLaren's clean sweep

Born on this day in 1948, Frenchman Jean-Louis Schlesser's claim to fame in F1 was the result of his own clumsiness rather than the product of a memorable feat.

It all started with a case of chicken pox that sidelined Nigel Mansell for two races with Williams in 1988.

To replace the British charger, Sir Frank gifted a drive at the Italian Grand Prix t Monza to its occasional and inexperienced test-driver, one Jean-Louis Schlesser.

The Frenchman was out of his depth from the outset, and found himself two seconds adrift from team mate Ricardo Patrese in qualifying.

He looked to be heading to an uneventful afternoon however, cruising on his own at the back of the field, when the McLaren of unassailable leader Ayrton Senna swelled in his mirrors with a handful of laps to go.

Schlesser clumsily locked up as he entered the first chicane and then clipped the McLaren on his way out, spinning Senna around and out of the race.

The incident set off a huge clamour in the grandstands as Senna's demise handed an emotional 1-2 finish to Ferrari, with Gerhard Berger leading home Michele Alboreto, just two weeks after the passing of Enzo Ferrari.

But in all his splendour, Schlesser also crushed McLaren's hopes of a clean sweep campaign as Senna and teammate Alain Prost had up to then shared every single race win among themselves.

Thirty-five years on, Red Bull Racing is on track to achieve what McLaren failed to accomplish back then.

But we still wish a happy birthday to Formula 1's most famous backmarker!

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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