Red Bull ups the ante with aggressive Spa tyre choice

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Red Bull Racing will be going with an aggressive tyre choice for the Belgian GP at Spa, with both its drivers predominantly betting on Pirelli's Ultrasoft compound.

The Milton Keynes-based team's form is ramping up as Daniel Riccairdo and Max Verstappen inch closer to their front-running Mercedes and Ferrari rivals' level of performance.

But the notoriously power-thirsty Spa circuit will likely put Red Bull's Renault-powered RB13 at a disadvantage, hence its aggressive tyre strategy, in a bid to optimise performance, with Ricciardo and Verstappen each choosing nine sets Ultrasofts.

The only other outfit to make a identical choice is McLaren, another team suffering from a relative engine weakness.

Mercedes on the other hand prefers a more conservative approach, with just six sets of the purple-rimmed ultrasoft rubber, while Ferrari's drivers will each have seven sets at their disposal.

As has been the case almost everywhere so far, Pirelli has gone a step softer with its selection of tyres compared to Spa last year.

The Ultrasoft rubber is complimented by the red Supersoft and yellow Softs tyres.

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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.