Remembering a racer and a gentleman

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Michele Alboreto would have turned 61 today, and the last Italian to win a Grand Prix for Ferrari remains sorely missed.

A veteran of 194 Grands Prix and a five-time F1 winner, Alboreto was smart, sensitive and hugely likeable, and a man who embodied a racing spirit from a bygone era.

Ken Tyrrell gave the Italian his F1 apprenticeship, a privilege he put to good use by delivering to Uncle Ken his final two Grand Prix victories before moving to the House of Maranello in 1984.

He was a strong contender for the world championship in 1985, but the Scuderia's reliability woes that year enabled McLaren's Alain Prost to slip by and clinch the title.

Alboreto's F1 career slowly dwindled down thereafter as he moved from one under-performing team to the other, ultimately bowing out with Minardi at the end of 1994.

He put his outstanding skills to good use in sportscar racing however, winning the Le Mans 24 Hours with a Porsche in 1997.

In 2001, a month after winning the Sebring 12 Hours with the factory Audi team, Alboreto was killed testing an Audi R8 at the Lausitzring in Germany, a tragedy which left the motorsport community truly stunned with grief. Michele was just 44.

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.