A royal reception in Monaco for Ferrari's Leclerc

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After his consecutive two first wins in F1, at Spa and Monza, Charles Leclerc and his family were invited by Prince Albert to Monaco's royal palace on Wednesday.

As a massive F1 fan and a big supporter of the Ferrari charger, who became the first driver hailing from sunny Monte-Carlo to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix, Prince Albert naturally took much pride in spending a few hours with the Monegasque and his family to talk about his recent exploits.

Alongside Charles were his mother Pascale, his uncle Thierry and his spouse, and brothers Lorenzo and Arthur.

"It is always a pleasure to see him again, even more so after these two great victories," said the Prince.

"To hear the Monégasque anthem on the podium is quite extraordinary!"

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.