Senna offers fans a slice of family history

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Bruno Senna honored the memory Brazilian icon Ayrton Senna on Thursday at Interlagos with a few laps onboard his uncle's 1988 McLaren MP4/4.

The 36-year-old, who raced in F1 with HRT, Lotus and Williams from 2010 to 2012, took the Honda-powered championship winning car around a track where it had never been before, with Senna stopping briefly to pick up a Brazilian flag, mimicking his legendary uncle's gesture from back in the day.

Sky F1 commentator Martin Brundle also tried the MP4/4 for size, an experience which he said left him "lost for words".

'Just drove that around Interlagos," Brundle wrote on Twitter.

"1988 McLaren MP4/4, chassis #2, race winner in both Prost and Senna’s gifted hands. The very car Ayrton took his first world championship with. What a privilege. Wow. Lost for words.

"I’m still elated at driving this masterpiece, hours later. It’s my 54th different F1 car driven, the one I’ve been aching to drive. If I never thrash another F1 car that’ll do."

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.