Renault to warm-up at Red Bull Ring with 2018 car

©Renault

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The Renault F1 team will be on track next week at the Red Bull Ring for two days of testing with Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon as the French outfit gears up for the start of the 2020 season.

Each driver will be handed a full day of running onboard a Renault RS18 on next Tuesday and Wednesday, with mileage unlimited as the test will involve a 2018 car and likely a practice of the crews' safety and hygiene procedures.

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The Mercedes team also tested with a 2018 car this week, at Silverstone, but Renault's choice to run in Austria will perhaps provide the team with a bit of heads' start over its rivals.

"A big thank you to all team members who have come together to find logistical solutions to give our drivers the best possible preparation for the first two races of the season in Austria," said Renault in a statement.

Ferrari is also expected to test at Fiorano in the coming days, while Racing Point will warm-up its 2020 contender with Lance Stroll at a filming day at Silverstone next Wednesday.

Finally, Scuderia AlphaTauri will also take advantage of its second available filming day to run its new car at Imola, a venue tipped to join the European schedule in September.

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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.