A Williams test for McLaren's new sporting director

Like for so many Brazilian drivers, Gil de Ferran's racing ambitions were fueled by the achievements of the legendary Emerson Fittipaldi, the man who blazed their trail.

After kick-starting his career racing in karting in his home country, De Ferran moved to Great-Britain where he convincingly worked his way up motorsport's junior ranks, starting in Formula Ford and winning the British F3 championship in 1992.

At the end of that season, he was rewarded with a test with Williams, sampling the team's championship winning FW14B at Silverstone under the watchful eye of the outfit's 1993 driver Alain Prost.

McLaren's new sporting director never raced in Formula 1 burt he did achieve great success in the US, winning the CART series in 2000 and 2001 and triumphing with Penske at the Indy 500 in 2003.

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.