Hulkenberg wrestles another points-scoring finish for Renault

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Renault's Nico Hulkenberg secured his second points-scoring finish of 2017 with a robust eighth place in the Russian Grand Prix.

The German driver launched his race from P8 on the grid and then ran a mammoth 40-lap stint on his qualifying Ultrasort tyres before changing to the Supersoft compound in a final 12-lap bid to wrestle seventh place from Esteban Ocon.

"I’m really happy with the strategy we ran today," enthused Hulkenberg.

"There wasn’t too much left from the tyres at the end of that first stint, but we achieved what we set out to do.

"I lost track position at the start so we let everyone else pit ahead of us and went as long as we could go on the first set of boots.

"I kept pushing and the car performed really well, staying switched on with the track improvement meaning I was able to get faster and faster.

"I was definitely happier with our race pace today; we’ve still got more work to do but we’ve clearly taken a step in the right direction this weekend."

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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.