The Magnificent Twenty ride again!

©Mercedes

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©Mercedes

Two things crossed our mind here at F1i when we saw this great shot of F1's class of 2020 marching abreast up the Barcelona straight on the opening day of pre-season testing at the Circuit de Catalunya.

Our first thought was to wonder why F1 had never put together such a great photo opp in the past?

But the second thing that came to mind was that this formation reminded us of a famous scene from 'The Magnificent Seven', the epic Hollywood western directed by the legendary John Sturgess, in which a unified group of gunmen set out to rid a Mexican village of the terror of a local bandit.

The question begs therefore: who among the class of 2020 would be your Steve McQueen or Yul Brynner?

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.