Nissany back in action in FP1 with Williams at Monza

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Williams development driver Roy Nissany will enjoy his second official F1 outing this week when he takes part at Monza in Friday's first practice session for the Italian Grand Prix.

The Israeli F2 racer made his debut with the Grove-based outfit at Barcelona where he acquitted himself well and encouraged Williams to provide the 25-year-old with a second practice session.

Nissany will take over George Russell's FW43 while Williams' cars will also carry the Israel Start-Up Nation logo for the duration of the Italian Grand Prix on the front wing end plate.

"After the great session in Barcelona I am really looking forward to driving at Monza," Nissany said.

"This legendary track is one of my favourites, as it is where I had my first single seater win. I’m sure it will be emotional, but as always, I will switch on my robot mode to ensure I will be fully focused on completing my job for the team.

"This FP1 session, I will have more experience, greater confidence and I feel even better than before, ahead of jumping in the car. Of course, we will do more preparations in the simulator at the factory this week following Spa. I am keen to get in the car and release that clutch lever."

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Williams head of vehicle performance Dave Robson welcomed back Nissany to the team.

"Roy did an excellent job in Barcelona and again he will play a vital role in our Friday engineering plan, before George takes over in FP2," he said. "We will be concentrating on rear wing performance as well as looking at some development items.

"We had a difficult race in Spa and felt unable to demonstrate our true race pace on Sunday," added Robson.

"Fortunately, a lot of what we learnt in Spa carries forward to Monza.

"There will be a strong emphasis on reducing drag and maximising end-of-straight speed, but at the same time, the signature corners in Monza cannot be treated lightly and require good levels of downforce and balance."

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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.