Lucas Auer talking to several F1 teams

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DTM racer Lucas Auer, who also happens to be the nephew of former F1 driver Gerhard Berger, is talking to a number of teams about a test outing this season.

Rumors swirled around last week that the 22-year-old had secured a run with Force India in the in-season test scheduled right after the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The Silverstone-based out would neither confirm nor deny the report however.

"Until now, we have not announced anything," said a Force India spokesman.

"We confirm the driver lineup for the tests usually two weeks beforehand, so there will be no information until Silverstone."

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A tie-up with Force India would make sense for Auer given the fact that they share the same BWT sponsor.

"Talks with Force India are already known, but I am in contact with several other F1 teams otherwise," Auer said.

"I will not go into details. Let's leave it at that and focus on the DTM races next weekend."

Lucas Auer is currently fourth in the DTM series, the Mercedes driver having won two rounds of the seven rounds of the championship so far this season.

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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.