Di Resta 'not too dissatisfied' with Hungary one-off

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Williams substitute Paul di Resta was fairly satisfied with his performance on Sunday given the extraordinary challenge he faced at the outset.

The Scot's run in the Hungarian GP was cut short unfortunately ten laps from the checkered flag because of an oil leak, but he had offered a consistent and clean performance up to then.

"It was obviously a very exciting day, but it was a very difficult day as well, jumping straight in the car with no experience of the different tyre compounds or running on high fuel," admitted the man who replaced a sick Felipe Massa two hours before Saturday's qualifying session.

"I wasn’t sure what to expect so I went in with an open mind. You have to be very aware of the space around you, and how much downforce you lose when there’s traffic around you.

"So I was cautious and just wanted to keep my nose clean. We went a different way on strategy, but the biggest thing for me was just gaining the confidence as the runs went on and I was feeling more comfortable with the car.

"It would have been nice to finish, without the oil leak. But overall I’m not too dissatisfied with where I was given how little running I’d had."

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Williams tech boss Paddy Lowe was full of praise for the team's reserve driver's performance.

" Paul, considering the circumstances, drove a great race with good consistency and stayed out of trouble," insisted Lowe.

"But unfortunately what appears to be an oil leak developed, as we were seeing an escalation in oil consumption so we decided to retire the car before the engine was in danger of losing oil pressure.

"So it’s a great shame for Paul, considering his fantastic response to our urgent need yesterday. We’re sorry not to give him a car that could get him to the finish."

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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.