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James Hunt's brother, David, dies at 55

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David Hunt, a former racer himself and the brother of 1976 F1 World Champion James, unexpectedly passed away in his sleep Sunday night.

Hunt, who was 12 years younger than his renowned sibling, embarked on a racing career of his own in the early 1980s, with solid if unspectacular runs in Formula Ford and Formula 3 before moving up to F3000 in 1988, but achieving only modest results.

Success in motor racing had bypassed the younger Hunt who decided to hang up his helmet and focus on his business ventures which at one point included a planned resurrection of the Lotus name in Formula 1 after he acquired the rights to the legendary name in 1994.

Hunt's endeavours to bring Lotus back to the helm failed in various guises. He then sold the naming rights to a Malaysian government backed entity headed by Caterham F1 owner Tony Fernandes, but the agreement eventually ended in dispute.

A long and complex court battle, from which Fernandes emerged the winner, settled the parties claims.

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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.