Giovinazzi: 'Always a privilege to be at the wheel of a Ferrari'

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Ferrari junior Antonio Giovinazzi was happy to bend over backwards this week, running with not one but two F1 teams in Barcelona.

The young Italian, who is without a full-time racing programme this season, undertook a 135-lap test programme with Sauber on Tuesday before switching into a pair of red overalls on Wednesday as he contributed to the Scuderia's workload.

The 24-year-old admitted it was all a bit exhausting, but also well worth it.

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"It was a tiring day," said Giovinazzi after putting an additional 148 laps on the board.

"We did a lot of laps, but I really enjoyed it. Apart from yesterday, driving the Alfa Sauber, I hadn’t driven in an official test session since last year in Abu Dhabi.

"We had an interesting programme to work on, with various things to test and different tyre compounds to try."

Beyond the hard work and effortful day, Giovinazzi's overwhelming feeling was one of joy.

"The test was productive and delivered a really big amount of data to correlate with that from the simulator.

"To be at the wheel of a Ferrari is always a privilege and it was a fantastic feeling."

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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.