Race and classic pictures

Aston junior Crawford lights up Houston with epic street demo

Ahead of this weekend's US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas-born Aston Martin F1 protégé Jak Crawford lit up the streets of Houston in spectacular fashion.

On Tuesday, the 18-year-old wowed local fans with adrenaline-pumping runs, tire-shredding burnouts, and epic donuts in Aston Martin's AMR22, bringing a taste of Formula 1 action to his hometown.

The demo was part of Aston Martin's promotion of its Generation 3 initiative with title sponsor Aramco that aims to build on the achievements of the partnership to date and leverage cutting-edge technologies to drive progress in global mobility through technical advancements on-track.

Houston, home to one of Aramco's largest research and development hubs and the headquarters of Aramco Americas, was the perfect backdrop for the high-octane event.

Crawford, currently fifth in the FIA Formula 2 Championship with Dams, had an unforgettable day showing off his skills.

“It's been an amazing day here in Houston, it's been a really fun time,” he said, clearly energized by the experience.

"I was driving where I grew up with my friends and family watching on. I stayed in my own house and then woke up and drove an F1 car on the same day, it was surreal.

"I went through streets where I've had dinner with my parents or gone to a baseball game, and now for the rest of my life when I next go to different places in the city, I can say I've done some doughnuts outside in an F1 car.

"Very few people get to drive an F1 car and even fewer on the streets where they grew up as a kid. It was amazing!"

With Crawford bringing the buzz of F1 to his hometown, Houston fans got a thrilling preview of the weekend's action in Austin!

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.