©McLaren

McLaren's Carlos Sainz will celebrate a significant milestone when the lights go off at the US Grand Prix later today.

The 25-year-old started his career in Formula 1 with Toro Rosso on March 15, 2015 in Melbourne, scoring two championship points on his auspicious debut.

Since then, Sainz has contested 99 GP, with a fourth-place finish in Singapore as his best result.

The son of rally legend Carlos Sainz Sr., Carlito left Toro Rosso before the end of 2017 and spent a year at Renault before moving to Woking at the start of this year and spearheading McLaren's resurgence.

The papaya squad came together on the COTA pitlane to distill a bit of festive fanfare in celebration of their driver's achievement.

Let's hope this afternoon's race treats him equally well.

 

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.

Recent Posts

The brutal mirror: Herbert’s no-filter advice for Lewis Hamilton

Few names in Formula 1 carry the same weight as Lewis Hamilton. Seven world titles.…

2 hours ago

Beltoise's one-off masterclass and 'Jour de Gloire'

One-time Grand Prix winner Jean-Pierre Beltoise was born on this day in 1937. The late…

4 hours ago

Rubber side up: Jos Verstappen’s Sunday somersault in Wallonia

Jos Verstappen’s efforts in this weekend’s  Rallye de Wallonie took a dramatic turn on Sunday…

4 hours ago

Mercedes ‘ticking all the boxes’ but Russell dismisses title hype

Three races into the 2026 season, and Kimi Antonelli and George Russell find themselves in…

5 hours ago

A grid of opportunity: BYD considers leap into Formula 1!

In Formula 1, whispers often travel faster than the cars themselves. And lately, one name…

6 hours ago

How Hadjar engineered his leap to ‘weird’ Red Bull seat

During his 2025 rookie season in F1, Isack Hadjar carried himself with a calm, almost…

8 hours ago