The Albon Monza lid we never got to see

Alex Albon will forever remember his 2022 Italian Grand Prix weekend, although for all the wrong reasons.

It was business as usual for the Williams charger when he took to the track on Friday at Monza, but early on Saturday morning Albon woke up to acute pain in his abdomen, an agony that was eventually diagnosed as a case of appendicitis.

As the British-Thai driver was rolled into surgery, Williams called open rookie Nyck de Vries to deputise for its stricken driver, a choice that led to the Dutchman scoring a remarkable ninth-place finish on his F1 debut.

Ahead of his Italian job, Albon had planned to unveil a special Monza lid, illuminated in bright orange and with a picture of himself on top that was a wink to a livery sported by MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi at Mugello back in 2008.

Albon's one-off helmet never saw the light of day, until this Friday when the 26-year-old posted a series of images of the lively headgear on social media as a special Christmas gift to his fans.

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.