Briatore hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19

©Reuters

Former F1 team boss Flavio Briatore was admitted to the San Raffaele hospital in Milan on Monday, having tested positive for COVID-19 and reportedly developed a respiratory issue.

The 70-year-old Italian is said to be in serious condition although no official health bulletin has yet been issued and Briatore has not been transferred to the hospital's intensive care unit.

Milan's renowned San Raffaele hospital is also where former F1 driver Alex Zanardi is currently recovering from a life-threatening hand bike crash he suffered in June.

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Briatore has been in the news lately in Italy, sparring with local authorities in Sardinia who are fighting to close the latter's Billionaire Club in Porto Cervo, where 60 staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus

"My heart weeps to see an economy slaughtered by people who have never done anything in their lives," the former Benetton and Renault team boss wrote on Facebook recently.

Briatore also recently took part in a VIP soccer match that included Bologna coach Sinisa Mihajlovic, who also tested positive for COVID-19.

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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.