Berger and Benetton put first win on the board

Gerhard Berger and the Benetton squad conquered on this day in 1986 in Mexico City their very first Grand Prix win.

The Austrian, who had qualified fourth at the wheel of the colorful and massively powerful Benetton-BMW B186, took the lead from Lotus's Ayrton Senna at around the half-way point of the race and never looked back.

It was the first of Berger's ten Grand Prix wins, one that was achieved in just his second full season of F1 and which set him on course for a move to Ferrari the following year.

In 1997, eleven years after his Mexican triumph, Berger would come full circle, at the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim where he would take his final career win in F1 ...with Benetton!

But that's a story for another day.

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.