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Fangio's body exhumed in paternity case

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The body of motor racing legend Juan-Manuel Fangio was exhumed on Friday in an effort to resolve a pending paternity case which was brought on separately by two men claiming to be the son of the quintuple World Champion.

The procedure, which was carried out at a cemetery in the Argentine town of Balcarce, was ordered by a judge in order to extract DNA samples from Fangio's body.

The great driver, who died in 1995 at the age of 84 was never married and was thought to be childless. Oscar Espinosa, one of the men who initiated the case, is the 77-year-old son of Andrea Berruet, a woman who enjoyed a long relationship with Fangio. He reportedly provided as proof of Fangio's paternity a bunch of letters allegedly written to Berruet by the great champion.

The second man seeking recognition is 73-year-old Ruben Vazquez, who told reporters that he was merely seeking clarification whether he was Fangio's son or not, denying any financial interest in the late Fangio's estate.

As an alternative to the gore and deplorable procedure, perhaps the judge should have ordered that both men try their hand at driving a Mercedes Benz W196 around the old Nürburgring and see how they fare. It would assuredly have represented the ultimate Fangio paternity test...

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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.