Another flying Swede gone way too soon

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He wasn't as flamboyant behind the wheel of a racing car as his countryman Ronnie Peterson, but Gunnar Nilsson - who sadly left us on this day in 1978, a little over a month after Peterson's tragic death at Monza - was assuredly a man endowed with an abundance of talent.

After a successful career in the junior ranks, Nilsson made his F1 debut with Lotus in 1976, a year in which he scored a couple of podium finishes.

His day of glory came in the following season, at a rain-soaked Belgian GP at Zolder, where the Swede crucially gained an upper hand over his rivals thanks to a well-timed early pit stop while others failed to correctly read the changing conditions.

Sadly, Zolder would remain Gunnar Nilsson's single F1 win.

Later that year, he was diagnosed with cancer, and ultimately lost his battle against the illness at just 29-years-old.

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.