Patrese and Arrows come close to glory first time out

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On this day in 1978, a young Riccardo Patrese and the new Arrows team almost succeeded in pulling off a massive upset at Kyalami for the combo's F1 debut.

Set-up late in the day by a group of Shadow dissenters led by Jackie Oliver and Alan Rees, Arrows fielded its first charger - the FA1 - at the South African GP at Kyalami, the third round of the F1 world championship.

A 24-year-old Patrese was entrusted with the Cosworth-powered new car and put in an impressive performance to qualify seventh. But that was just an appetizer for things to come.

On race day, the Italian held his own at the start before moving up the order, ultimately disposing of Brabham's Niki Lauda, Wolf's Jody Scheckter and Lotus' Mario Andretti to take a commanding lead.

For the better part of 37 laps, it looked like Patrese was heading to an outstanding triumph when his Cosworth engine expired just 14 laps from the checkered flag.

The British team would have to wait almost 20 years before front-running the field once again, and failing once again so close to glory when Damon Hill's Arrows lost a sure win with just a handful of laps to go in the 1997 Hungarian GP following a hydraulic failure!

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.