Another hard-earned beer for Bottas

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As planned, Valtteri Bottas has settled down under for F1’s winter break, the Finn residing in Adelaide for a month along with his long-standing partner, pro-cyclist Tiffany Cromwell.

The Sauber driver’s physical preparations for the upcoming F1 season include a daily heavy dose of cycling adventures which are also part of his training regimen for his onslaught on the UCI Gravel World Championships that will take place in October in Belgium.

But the 34-year-old will need to qualify for an entry into the event by first proving his mettle in a UCI Gravel World Series race.

On Saturday, Bottas tackled the AusCycling Gran Fondo in Ballarat – a 58km event for amateur competitors held alongside Australia’s Road National Championships.

No news yet on where Val finished in his age group, but from the looks of it, it was a hard-earned 'VB' beer for the F1 driver turned competitive cyclist.

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.