Zak O'Sullivan savours big F1 prize with Aston Martin

©AstonMartin

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©AstonMartin

Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Award winner Zak O'Sullivan claimed his 2021 prize on Tuesday at Silverstone in the form of an F1 test day with the British outfit.

It was O'Sullivan's maiden outing at the wheel of an F1 car, the 17-year-old racking up the miles at the wheel of Team Silverstone's 2021 AMR21 that was raced last season by Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll.

Aston Martin has replaced McLaren as the main backer of the coveted Autosport BRDC award that kick-started the careers of many distinguished past and present champions, such as David Coulthard, Dario Franchitti, Jenson Button and George Russell.

©AstonMartin

In addition to his F1 track day with Aston, O' Sullivan, who was inducted into Williams' driver academy earlier this year, was also the recipient of a £200,000 check as part of his Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Award.

A winner of the GB3 Championship in 2021, O'Sullivan undertook this year a full campaign with Carlin in the FIA Formula 3, an effort that yielded two podiums and a eleventh-place finish in the standings.

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.