The last active F1 driver to win the Daytona 24 Hours

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This weekend, motorsport fans are enjoying their first big dose of entertainment of the year with the Rolex 24 taking place at Daytona.

No less than seven former F1 drivers are included in the field: Kevin Magnussen, Marcus Ericsson, Sebastien Bourdais, Alex Rossi, Kamui Kobayashi, Will Stevens and Giedo van der Garde

But who was the last driver competing in F1 to actually win the classic 24-hour race?

Fernando Alonso in 2019 you say? Think again, because the Spaniard had already left F1 when he triumphed three years ago with Cadillac.

Looking at the history books, we have to go all the way back to 1985, when Arrows' Thierry Boutsen won the event paired with Bob Wollek, Al Unser and AJ Foyt onboard Preston Henn's Porsche 962.

Actually, Boutsen was a late addition to the crew, initially starting the race alongside Henri Pescarolo and Bruce Leven in the latter's own 962.

However, an early retirement saw the F1 driver switch to Henn's entry, a move Wollek himself had recommended.

Unsurprisingly, the Frenchman and Boutsen handled the bulk of the work from there on, winning comfortably from the Porsche 962 of Al Holbert, Al Unser Jr. and Derek Bell.

©PeterGloede

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.