Riccardo Patrese's idea of an enjoyable summer holiday is coming out of retirement to race in next weekend's 70th edition of the Spa 24 hours race.

At Spa, The former F1 driver and six-time Grand Prix will be sharing a Honda NSX GT3 with another familiar F1 name, Loic Depailler, the 44-year-old son of Patrick Depailler.

The pair got acquainted with their mount yesterday, running laps around the Ardennes track in a car entered in the Pro-Am category, and that will also be driven by team mates Bertrand Baguette and Esteban Guerrieri.

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.

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