Jack Aitken ends relationship with Renault F1

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Jack Aitken has announced his departure from the Renault F1 team which the Anglo-Korean hopeful had been affiliated with since 2016.

Aitken, who finished fifth in last season's FIA Formula 2 Championship after winning three races with Campos Racing, got his first taste of F1 with Renault in 2017 when he tested a Lotus E20 at Jerez.

Aitken was subsequently appointed as third and reserve driver for the French squad in 2018 and tested with the works team in Barcelona last year.

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The 24-year-old driver released a statement on Twitter on Monday announcing his split with Renault, while also hinting at an "exciting next step" in the sport.

"I would like to express my thanks to Renault and the Academy for helping me reach a position where I can now take a very exciting next step in my career which will keep me on course to fulfil my ambition of reaching the very top of motorsport," he said.

"I wish the Renault F1 Team and its drivers every success for the future."

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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.