McLaren to pay tribute to veteran team member at Monza

©McLaren

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McLaren's cars will carry a special tribute at Monza where the team will celebrate veteran mechanic Ray Rowe who will retire from McLaren after 55 years with the papaya squad.

Rowe, who worked for Cooper in F1 in the early sixties, was one of the first employees recruited by Bruce McLaren in 1965.

Through the decades, through thick and thin, 'Tex' as he is fondly known remained loyal to McLaren, surviving the change of ownership in the early eighties when Ron Dennis took over the team's operations.

©McLaren

While he's no longer a member of the travelling squad, Rowe still clocks in at Woking where he works part-time in McLaren's transmission department.

"We’ll carry a special tribute on the car this weekend to Ray Rowe, who is set to retire from the team after an incredible 55 years of service," said McLaren F1 boss Andreas Seidl.

"Tex joined with Bruce in 1965 and has worked in a variety of roles, including helping Bruce prepare for our first Grand Prix in 1966. We wish Tex a happy and healthy retirement."

Monza follows Spa as a high speed, low-downforce venue, and Seidl says McLaren will need to be at the top of its game to solidify its third-place position in the Constructors' standings.

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"The unique high-speed Monza circuit, will make it necessary to bring a low-downforce package again," explained Seidl.

"It’s up to us in the race team to extract the maximum performance from the car in what will be a tight battle for strong points finishes.

"The intensity in the midfield is keeping us sharply focused on the task at hand.

"We’re aware that one bad race can drop a team from third in the Constructors’ Championship to sixth, so our strategy, operations and performance need to be at consistently high levels.

"With the narrow performance gap between four or five teams, we should be in for an exciting and enjoyable race."

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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.