Mercedes F1 non-executive chairman promotes a competitor!

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Mercedes AMG F1 non-executive chairman Niki Lauda took a trip down memory lane yesterday at the Red Bull Ring.

Lauda put himself behind the wheel of a 1973 BMW 3.0 CSL, the very Alpina entry he raced at the Nurburgring 6 hours event some 45 years ago.

After Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff encouraged Porsche to join the F1 fray on friday, Lauda has followed suit with a bit of promotion for another Merc competitor, the Bayerische Motoren Werke company!

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.