Oliver Rowland gets another taste of F1

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DAMS F2 racer Oliver Rowland will enjoy a run in F1 machinery when he demos Renault's 2012 car next month at the Gamma Racings Days event at Assen.

The 24-year-old, who won the showcase F2 event in Monaco this year, will share the former V8-powered Lotus E20 in Holland with Nico Hulkenberg.

"It's a really exciting time for me to drive Renault's F1 car in front of 100,000 people in Holland," said Rowland.

"I see this as a step in the right direction to achieving my dream of driving in Formula 1."

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The car supplied by Renault is the machine entrusted to Robert Kubica for his recent tests at Valencia and Paul Ricard.

Rowland's previous F1 experience includes a run in a McLaren in 2012 as a prize for winning the McLaren Autosport BRDc Award that year, and demo laps behind the wheel of a Red Bull at Silverstone in 2015.

Oliver Rowland will drive Renault's F1 car at Assen on August 5 while Hulkenberg will be on hand for demo runs the following day.

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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.