Race and classic pictures

A shock pole for Canadian rain man Lance Stroll

For all the criticism lobbed at Lance Stroll during his F1 career, and especially this season amid his lacklustre results relative to his Aston teammate Fernando Alonso, the young Canadian's remarkable performance achieved on this day in 2020 in Turkey with Racing Point showed the haters that he was, at the very minimum, a gifted driver.

On a rainy day in Istanbul and on a treacherous track drowned in changing conditions, Stroll embraced the opportunity to master the elements.

And he did it like a seasoned veteran, topping the final Q3 shootout by 0.290s from Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

Stroll's accomplishment was also the first time in 23 years that a Canadian driver had come out on top in an F1 qualifying session, in fact since Jacques Villeneuve in the 1997 European GP.

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.

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