Night racer Esteban Ocon just loves 'tough' Bahrain

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Force India's Esteban Ocon left Melbourne without any points in his bag but will be looking to score in Bahrain, one of the French drivers favourite venues.

Ocon endured a laborious race down under, finishing a lonely P12 behind team mate Sergio Perez as the pair struggled to extract the adequate speed from their new VJM11.

Both drivers are still on a learning curve with regard to their 2018 car which will hopefully benefit from a front wing upgrade at Sakhir.

Regardless of his level of performance, Ocon is looking forward to his second Grand Prix in Bahrain and to its great environment and atmosphere.

Perez wants points at 'traditional and easier to overtake' Bahrain

"When I think about Bahrain I always remember the beautiful paddock, which has so much space and looks amazing at night with all the trees lit up," says Force India's resident pink panther.

"Every year there’s a barbeque for the paddock and it’s nice that all the teams and media can come together before the racing begins."

Ocon has no issues with Bahrain's particular schedule which sees drivers practice in the hot blistering desert sun and qualify and race in the cooler evenings.

"I love racing at night. It almost feels quicker under the lights and it looks better on television," he adds.

"Hopefully the fans like it as much as the drivers. The track is good fun and there are a few good overtaking spots, such as turn one and turn four.

"It’s a track that feels very satisfying when your car is working well. I particularly enjoy turns five, six and seven because they are so quick and then you’re immediately into a big braking zone for turn eight.

"It’s tricky because you approach at really high speed and it’s easy to make a mistake and run wide."

"It’s a tough weekend physically because of the heat. The daytime practice sessions are the most difficult, but fortunately it gets a bit cooler in the evenings for qualifying and the race.

"You need to drink lots to be hydrated and make sure you don’t lose concentration."

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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.