For Marcus Ericsson weight is more important than water

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Even when racing in the sweltering heat, Sauber's Marcus Ericsson says a weight gain supersedes quenching his thirst.

Water and a drivers' thirst were the subject of a discussion yesterday when a radio exchange between Kimi Raikkonen and his Ferrari crew revealed that the team had forgotten to connect the Finn's water bottle before Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix, run in scorching heat.

Raikkonen obviously dealt with the issue, but many were shocked by the prospect of a driver being deprived of precious liquid in the sweltering conditions, expressing their views on Twitter.

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Sauber's Ericsson chimed in however, and revealed a surprising fact about his drinking habits.

"Haven’t had a drink system installed for over two years (including today)," he wrote on his social media account, as everyone pitied poor Raikkonen.

"It weighs around 1.5 kg. So we choose not to use it because of the weight. Just one of the reasons why we should have the same weight for all drivers," added the Swede who is among the sport's tallest drivers, and therefore also among its heaviest.

At the end of the day, the Iceman, who finished third in yesterday's race, dismissed his water bottle predicament.

"The fact of not having my drink bottle available was obviously not ideal, but not so much of an issue either," admitted the Scuderia driver.

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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.