A forgotten French driver's best result in F1

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French F1 driver Jean-Christophe Boullion was born on this day in 1969, in Saint Brieuc.

A Williams test driver in 1995, Boullion was loaned that season to Sauber following the Swiss outfit's decision to part ways with Karl Wendlinger just before the Monaco Grand Prix, one year after the Austrian's massive life threatening crash in the Principality.

Boullion saddled the team's C14 for 11 races and achieved his best result at Hockenheim with a surprisingly good drive to fifth. He also scored a sixth-place finish at the Italian GP in Monza six weeks later.

Unfortunately, 'Jules' - as he was called - fell off the grid the following year, never to be seen again in Formula 1.

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.