'I didn't apologise to Ericsson,' says Magnussen

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Kevin Magnussen denies he ever apologised to Marcus Ericsson for the pair's 'nordic' run-in on the first lap of the Australian GP a fortnight ago.

The Haas driver collided with his Sauber counterpart on the first lap in Melbourne, putting both himself and his opponent out of contention in the season opener.

Ericsson later tweeted that all was cool between the two drivers as Magnussen had subsequently apologized for the mishap, but the Dane denies acknowledging any responsibility.

Magnussen apologises to Ericsson after Nordic knockout

"I saw the tweet. We met in the plane and talked about it, but I didn’t apologise," the Haas driver told the media in Shanghai.

"It’s not his fault – it’s a racing incident. He was on the outside, I understeered into him.

"It was actually an oversteer that turned into an understeer – if I was him, I would have left more room just to be sure.

"There was no way I could have done anything [different] anyway, but it’s a racing incident."

In Shangahi today, Sauber's Marcus Ericsson confirmed once again the Dane's mea culpa.

"We were on the same flight on Sunday night [after the Australian GP], so we had a chat on the plane, and Kevin put his hands up and said he was sorry," said Ericsson.

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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.