Yuki 'Bond': Licensed to thrill with AlphaTauri in Venice

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AlphaTauri charger Yuki Tsunoda made quite the entrance on Tuesday at the 80th International Film Festival in Venice.

Donned in a suave tuxedo, the Japanese driver channeled his inner '007' as he stood atop a boat gracefully navigating the picturesque city's waterways, his Formula 1 car poised beside him on the vessel.

The sophisticated scene served as the backdrop to the world premiere of “Whatever it Takes”, a documentary film about Scuderia AlphaTauri, covering the history of the Faenza-based team since it first appeared on the Formula 1 scene back in 2006.

Apart from looking back at the team's 18 years in the sport, the feature-length film takes the viewer behind the scenes at Faenza and provides a rare insight into what it takes to compete in Grand Prix racing.

The film, created in co-production with Digital Lighthouse – the team’s Media Partner, and directed by Luca Curto, was shown to an invited audience of fans, team partners and members of the press during an event at the famous Palazzina Grassi.

"I saw lots of things I didn’t know – how the team operates in the background and the amount of people, time and effort that’s put into only two cars," commented Tsundoa after the screening.

"I feel really honoured to be one of the two drivers of Scuderia AlphaTauri and to be able to drive such a high-technology machine."

Just call him Bond, Yuki Bond.

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.