Kobayashi delivers pole position to Toyota at Le Mans

Kamui Kobayashi delivered on Friday a fourth consecutive pole position at Le Mans to the Toyota Gazoo Racing team.

The former F1 driver beat the Rebellion entry of Gustavo Menezes in the hard-fought 30-minute Hyperpole session during which the two teams exchanged salvos, with Toyota having the last word thanks to Kobayashi's blistering pace that set the best time at 3m15.267s.

The Japanese driver is sharing his Toyota LMP1 entry with Mike Conway and José Maria Lopez, with the trio yet to take top spoils in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

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.