New Ferrari boss in the house!

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New Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur has been hard at work at Maranello for a couple of weeks now, getting acquainted with the Scuderia’s crews and thoroughly preparing for his first season at the helm of the Italian outfit.

This week, Ferrari held its traditional three-day “wake-up” test at Fiorano, with Robert Shwartzman running on Tuesday onboard a 2021-spec car and Carlos Sainz taking over yesterday.

On Thursday, it was Charles Leclerc’s chance to stretch his legs and Vasseur took the opportunity to drop in on his former protégé and spend some time with Ferrari’s crews.

Mattia Binotto’s successor has his work cut out for him to instil a strong level of consistency and reliability into the team while maintaining its performance level.

Rumors are that Ferrari will hit the ground running in Bahrain next month, but until we get there, it’s only speculation.

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.