Williams' Latifi has Nico Rosberg's number!

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ROKiT Williams Racing recruit Nicholas Latifi will race in his maiden season of F1 with #6, the number previously used by 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg.

Since 2014, Grand Prix drivers have been allowed to choose their personal race number for the entire duration of their career in F1.

But when a driver retires, their specific number is discarded for two years, after which it can be re-allocated to another participant.

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Drivers obviously choose their number for a variety of personal reasons. Lewis Hamilton's trademark #44 goes all the way back to his early karting days, while Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas selected #77 for its visual integration into the name 'BO77AS'.

In a video posted by Williams on Twitter, Latifi gave the lowdown on #6.

"I'm sure you're all wondering what number I've decided to choose for the upcoming Formula 1 season," said the 24-year-old Canadian rookie.

"I decided to choose number six. The reason I chose this is because I'm from Toronto, and Toronto is known as 'The Six', basically, because if you're from there, your area code for your phone number is either 416 or 617.

"It's a bit silly, but it kind of stuck, so I decided to choose that."

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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.