Lewis Hamilton bonds with Viviane Senna

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The highlight of Lewis Hamilton's week in Brazil will likely be his meeting with Viviane Senna, the sister of F1 legend Ayrton Senna yesterday in Sao Paulo.

The great driver's family gifted one of Senna's helmet to the Mercedes drive after his win in Canada earlier this year, and Hamilton returned the compliment with an offering of his own.

At a Petronas event on Wednesday, the 2017 world champion was presented with a replica of his Mercedes F1 car featuring a portrait of Senna painted by Brazilian street artist Eduardo Kobra.

Hamilton donated the model to the Ayrton Senna Institute, as a mark of his overwhelming admiration for his idol.

"I have a special affection for Brazil, because of Ayrton Senna," he said.

"People around the world know him, and when they do not know about him I say, "Have you seen the documentary about Senna?"

"He is a great inspiration, I always wanted to do something similar to what he did in F1."

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.