Sergio and Carola Perez welcome Emilio!

Sergio Perez kicked off his race week in Barcelona with a happy family celebration, with the Red Bull driver and wife Carola welcoming their third child, Emilio.

The young baby boy's siblings, Carlota and Sergio Jr, are frequent visitors to the F1 paddock and no doubt Emilio will join at some point the Perez family's travelling squad.

In the interim, the Red Bull charger heads into this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix with some good momentum on the back of two consecutive podiums in Melbourne and at Imola and a fourth-place finish in Miami.

Perez's teammate Max Verstappen believes the Mexican has finally settled in at Red Bull, his second season with the Milton Keynes-based outfit.

"I think it helps, of course, to have a year with the team," said F1's reigning world champion. "And I think, of course, with the new rule changes, everyone had to start from zero really.

"It seems like he is a lot happier in the car, so that’s really good for the team."

It's already a banner week for Perez, and it might get even better.

¡Vamos, Sergio!

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.