A proud and powerful line-up for Williams

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Williams officially presented its team to the media on this day in 1994 at Estoril, showcasing its proud looking and powerful duo of drivers.

After a couple of years of tentative talks, Frank Williams and Patrick Head had finally succeeded in securing the services of Ayrton Senna.

The great Brazilian had the all-clear to join the British outfit following the retirement of arch-rival and Williams' 1993 world champion Alain Prost.

Paired with Senna was Damon Hill who had showed a promising potential the year before in his maiden season of Grand Prix racing alongside Prost.

Hill got the team in gear in Brazil with a second-place finish behind Michael Schumacher's Benetton, while Senna painfully spun out of his home race, trying to keep up with the German.

The Pacific Grand Prix held at Aida was a washout for both Williams' chargers, but the worst was yet to come.

Two weeks later, at Imola, Williams and Formula 1 would suffer one of the darkest days in their long history.

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.