Starting from a clean pink sheet?

©AlbertFabrega

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©AlbertFabrega

Spa will mark the start of a new dawn for Force India, although it likely won't be called as such for much longer.

The Silverstone-based outfit - whose original DNA goes back to the Jordan Grand Prix team born in 1991 - is locked in a legal can of worms right now.

The team's assets were sold to a consortium of investors led by Lawrence Stroll, but the new entity does not have a proper entry to compete in F1.

Discussion are ongoing today at Spa between the outfit's owners, the FIA and Formula 1, with the most probable outcome being an exemption allowing the pink squad to race under the name Force India one last time before a permanent new entry is granted.

In the interim, the 'Sahara Force India' name has been stripped from the team's trucks and equipment, after ten and a half seasons and 203 Grands Prix.

(thanks to @AlbertFabrega for the picture)

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.