Hamilton's well-deserved thumbs up to an old friend

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Few pundits would have put a wager on Valtteri Bottas qualifying as high as sixth in Bahrain on Saturday evening, and indeed the Finn himself was surprised by his performance.

There was no doubting the ability of Alfa Romeo's new driver, but the Swiss outfit's troubled pre-season preparations suggested that the Swiss outfit was heading into the opening round at Sakhir on the back foot.

Instead, Bottas will line up on Sunday's grid alongside his old friend Lewis Hamilton who qualified fifth.

And in parc fermé, the Mercedes driver saluted his former teammate's performance with a well-deserved thumbs up.

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.