Renault consolidates 'best of the rest' midfield position

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Renault has strengthened its grasp on fourth place in the F1 Constructors' standings after the Mexican Grand Prix, thanks to Nico Hulkenberg's run to sixth on Sunday.

The German was the sole Renault driver in the top-ten after team mate Carlos Sainz retired while he was comfortably in the points.

Haas, the French outfit's direct rival in the Constructors' championship, was nowhere to be seen in Mexico with both Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean finishing well down the order.

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"We’ve had two very good weekends in a row with a lot of points," Hulkenberg said.

"From my side, it was a very calm and solid race, albeit a little lonely to get ourselves through on a one-stop strategy.

"We had to manage the car and the tyres through the race and the whole team did a good job all weekend."

Sainz lamented his exit, due to a sudden and complete shutdown of his power unit, as he had preceded Hulkenberg in the running order up to his unfortunate demise.

"We were leading the midfield comfortably and in contention for some good points and then, without warning, the car shut down, Sainz explained.

"It’s really frustrating after making such a good start on lap one, but that’s racing.

"We’ve not had too many reliability issues this season, but when I have, it’s been when I’ve been leading the midfield, so that’s a bit of bad luck and coincidental for it to happen again today," he added.

"We’ll investigate the issue and move on. We’ll keep fighting, aim to score points at the last two rounds and look to secure fourth in the constructors’ championship."

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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.