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Wurz gives it one last go

Former F1 racer Alexander Wurz decided to call it a day on his career as a driver just before his last outing with Toyota in the ultimate round of the World Endurance Championship in Bahrain back in November.

But the 41-year-old Austrian will actually give himself one last go in a competitive racing car, having responded favourably to Chip Ganassi's offer to race in the 24 Hours of Daytona at the end of January.

"Daytona was a race that was always on my list to do, but I was never able to do it because it clashed with winter testing," Wurz told Autosport.

"Chip Ganassi rang me on the day I announced my retirement and when I told him I was stopping, he said, ‘fair enough, but you could do one more race’.

"I’m still fit and not so busy, so it kind of made sense."

Wurz, who has two Le Mans wins under his belt, will share a Ganassi-Ford EcoBoost at Daytona with Williams development driver Lance Stroll, Andy Priaulx, and Porsche works driver and WEC champ Brendon Hartley.

Alexander Wurz competed in F1 from 1997 to 2007, racing for Benetton, McLaren and Williams. He is also Chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, and as such was praised recently by David Coulthard for his commitment and efforts to improve safety standards in the sport.

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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.