Williams set to hunt down Force India after Baku podium - Lowe

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Lance Stroll's podium finish in Baku a week ago have boosted Williams' prospects against Force India in the Constructor's standings, says Paddy Lowe.

Williams is currently fifth in the championship, 41 points adrift of Force India, but the Grove-based outfit's tech boss was full of praise for Stroll's achievement in Azerbaijan and what it entails for the future.

"It is a very tough challenge for Lance to come into Formula 1 this season at a very young age and arguably the most difficult season to kick-off a rookie career in," Lowe said.

"It has been very, very tough as we have seen. Some of it hasn't been his making, some of it our making, some from others but at other times he hasn't been able to be on the pace."

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Lowe believes the young Canadian's podium in Baku, which followed his maiden top-ten finish in Montreal, was a break-through performance which the teenager will build on going forward.

"Now he has established himself and has the confidence to move on from here and we consider to have two fully performing drivers," Lowe added.

"That is something we couldn't have seen at the start of the season because it was a very difficult start.

"It puts us in a great shape for the remainder of 2017 to develop the car and score points on both sides of the garage."

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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.