Sir Jackie at the wheel of an F5000 car? It once happened...

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The Questor Grand Prix held at the Ontario circuit in California was a non-championship event that took place in March 1971 and which pitted Formula 1 cars against a field of US Formula 5000 machines.

Labeled as the "Battle of Two Worlds", the race saw Ferrari's Mario Andretti win on aggregate following two heats of 32 laps from Tyrrell's Jackie Sewart and McLaren's Denny Hulme.

During practice, Stewart was asked to run a few laps on board AJ Foyt's Agapiou Brothers-entered McLaren M10B and provide some feedback on the Chevy-powered mount.

Giving this some thought, this may have been the first and only time the great Scot drove an F5000 car and a McLaren at an official race meeting...

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.