McLaren's Zak Brown to race at Silverstone!

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They say if you want something done, it's best to do it yourself, although in this case it obviously won't involve Zak Brown driving at the British Grand Prix.

The McLaren will however slot himself into a genuine F1 car at the Silverstone Classic event which takes place on July 28-30.

As an avid collector of racing machinery, Brown will race an ex-Alan Jones British GP winning Williams FW07B, and a Ford Cologne Capri RS3100 in two Super Touring races according to F1 journalist James Allen.

The timing of the event means that Brown won't be attending the Hungarian Grand Prix on the same weekend, the American executive missing his second F1 race this year after skipping Monaco to support Fernando Alonso's bid in the Indy 500 at the end of May.

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“I’ve driven the Williams a few times and I love it," Brown said.

"I can’t wait to take the Capri out too. It will be the first time I’ve entered it into a race – it’s a pleasure to drive and sounds great."

Brown actually spent his early years in motor racing on the race tracks, racing in the UK in Formula Ford and the Vauxhall Lotus series before applying his skills to marketing.

He also enjoyed a few demo laps last year at the Silverstone Classic, driving his ex-Mika Hakkinen McLaren MP4-16A which triumphed in the 2001 British Grand Prix.

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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.