Race and classic pictures

When Ozzy – the Prince of Darkness – hit the F1 grid

Ozzy Osbourne, heavy metal legend and self-styled ‘Prince of Darkness’, sadly left us on Tuesday at the age of 76.

In 2003, the Black Sabbath frontman strutted onto the grid at the Canadian Grand Prix to mingle with the likes of Flavio Briatore and F1 maestro Michael Schumacher

Though Ozzy may not have known a diffuser from a downshift, he looked right at home among the speed demons – proving that even in F1, the bat out of hell could still rock.

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.

Recent Posts

Sainz pens heartfelt end-of-season letter to Williams staff

Carlos Sainz didn’t just walk away from his first season at Williams with results on…

3 hours ago

FIA publishes official 2026 F1 entry list and driver numbers

The FIA has officially rolled out the full entry list for the 2026 Formula 1…

4 hours ago

One final epic battle between Senna and Prost

Thirty-two years ago, F1 legends Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost enjoyed their final on-track battle…

6 hours ago

F1i's 2025 Driver Rankings: The grid's lower half

  Welcome to the side of the garage where the coffee is bitter and the…

6 hours ago

Ferrari reveals launch date for 2026 F1 car – and it’s coming fast

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has confirmed when the Scuderia will lift the lid on…

8 hours ago

Ferrari WEC boss Coletta shuts down Vasseur replacement rumors

Ferrari’s rumour mill has never needed much of an excuse to spin itself into a…

8 hours ago