Oil giant Petrobras in talks with McLaren

Brazilian oil giant Petrobras, which recently terminated its commercial partnership with Williams, could return to F1 with McLaren.

McLaren's Zak Brown reiterated earlier this year the team's necessity to secure a title sponsor for 2018.

Brazilian Globo broadcaster correspondent, Livio Oricchio, is reporting that the two companies are currently in talks about a future sponsorship deal.

"It is a fact that the marketing side of McLaren is negotiating with Petrobras about a sponsorship and development contract for fuel and oil," Oricchio reported.

"It would be similar to what Petrobras had with Williams from 1998 and 2008."

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McLaren-Honda recently inked a deal with BP-Castrol, the duration of which is unknown although it is believed that BP-Castrol's partnership with Renault is more significant, as the level of signage on the team's RS17 indicates.

Any substantial partnership deal would be good news for McLaren-Honda which has struggled in the past few years, not only on the race track but also on the sponsorship front.

The team has endured a rocky start to its pre-season testing and will be looking to put its initial troubles to rest during this week's second round of testing in Barcelona.

Fernando Alonso in particular will be looking for signs of an improvement as the Spanish driver ponders his Formula 1 future.

If McLaren is unsuccessful in its attempt to move up the grid in the coming months, it's likely the two-time world champion will call it a day at the end of 2017, or move on to greener pastures.

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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.