Chris Rea - A life driven by passion

40

Legendary British songwriter and singer Chris Rea passed away on Sunday at the age of 74 after a battle with illness.

While the world knew him for his gravelly blues and the holiday anthem "Driving Home for Christmas," many within the motorsport community knew him as a man whose heart beat to the rhythm of the Prancing Horse.

Chris was a "Ferrarista" in the purest sense. His obsession was immortalized in his 1996 film La Passione, a love letter to the Maranello marque and his childhood hero, Wolfgang von Trips.

When he discovered that Enzo Ferrari had ordered the destruction of the legendary 1961 "Sharknose" 156, Rea commissioned painstaking replicas to bring that history back to life.

A racer at heart, Chris competed in the Ferrari Challenge and was a familiar face in the pitlane, often a guest in F1 of his close friend Eddie Jordan. Whether he was racing his 250 LM or driving his F355 – famously ordered without a radio so he could "listen to the music" of the engine – Chris embodied the soul of a genuine ‘petrolhead.’

On Sunday, the road led home. Rest in peace, Chris. Godspeed.

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.