The eye of a tiger

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He's fast, fierce and ferocious, and will pounce at you like a tiger if you rub him the wrong way.

Max Verstappen's behavior after the Brazilian GP when he came to blows with Esteban Ocon, who deprived him of a race win, is still debated.

The last one to chime in is Max's father, Jos Verstappen, a man who has built himself a bit of a reputation as a ballroom brawler in his private life.

"Maybe what Max did was not good," said Jos, speaking to De Telegraaf. "But I fully understand what he did.

"He was robbed of victory and then Ocon so stupidly stood there and grinned."

The former F1 driver rightly insisted however that the spat shouldn't be blown out of proportion.

"We should not make it bigger than it is. Football players do that to each other every weekend and Max is professional enough not to beat up anyone.

"I think he was really holding back but it was good that people were standing around him," Verstappen snr added.

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.