When Prince Philip bantered with the Hesketh boys

©TheCahierArchive

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©TheCahierArchive

By any measure, Prince Philip, who passed away on Friday at the age of 99, led an extraordinary existence.

The Duke of Edinburgh always walked a few paces behind the Queen, but for 68 years Philip upheld his oath of remaining Elizabeth's "liege man of life and limb and of earthly worship".

Prince Philip was also a lifelong petrolhead who owned and often drove in anger a number of classic cars. He was also a visitor over the years to the odd British Grand Prix.

In 1975, the Duc of Edinburgh paid a visit to the grid at Silverstone and dropped in on the Hesketh team to salute its proud owner, Thomas Alexander Fermor-Hesketh, 3rd Baron Hesketh, and future F1 world champion James Hunt.

Protocol was never at the forefront of the Hesketh team's priorities, but on that day, the boys were on their best behaviour.

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.