Is Montoya now Lance Stroll's new mental coach?

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Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya was in attendance at the Spanish Grand Prix last weekend and spent most of his time in the Racing Point garage.

According to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, the seven-time Grand Prix winner may have been entrusted with a hands-on - or rather a brains-on - role involving Lance Stroll's mental preparation.

Perez: Lawrence Stroll the most 'motivated' person in the garage

To date, Stroll's season with his father's team has yielded two top-ten finishes, or four championship points, a tally that falls well short of team mate Sergio Perez's 13-point score in the first five races of the year.

After two seasons at the pinnacle of motorsport, for which his father bore the burden, and in a more productive environment than at Williams, Stroll was expected to be snapping more often at his team mate's heels.

Perhaps a bit of psychological training and confidence support is in order for the 20-year-old, thus Montoya's presence.

However, Racing Point insisted the Colombian was a mere guest of the team last weekend.

As AMUS rightly points out, if Montoya was indeed hired to boost Stroll's confidence, it wasn't of much help in Spain where the young charger was involved in two accidents.

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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.