Alonso: Always the Hot Shot

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A few hours after last weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso was on a plane to Shanghai where he's racing this weekend with Toyota in the fifth round of the WEC.

Before he got down to business however, the Spaniard indulged in a session of table tennis, one of the most popular sports in China.

Alonso managed to fend off the vicious top-spin backhand of fellow Toyota Gazoo racing team member Kamui Kobayashi while displaying a few hot shots of his own.

However, the Japanese driver had the last word on the track on Saturday, clinching pole for Sunday's 6-hour race in the #7 car he shares with Mike Conway and Jose Maria Lopez.

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.