Verstappen nominated for prestigious Laureus award

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Reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen is among the distinguished nominees for the Sportsman of the Year award that will be handed out at the upcoming prestigious Laureus Awards.

The Red Bull driver who conquered the world title in a dramatic finale in Abu Dhabi last December is up against a selection of outstanding athletes, with NFL legend Tom Brady, footballer Robert Lewandowski, tennis champion Novak Djokovic, swimmer Caeleb Dressel and athletics star Eliud Kipchoge all competing in the F1 driver's category.

But Verstappen isn't the only F1 nominee singled out by Laureus, with the Mercedes F1 team which won the 2021 F1 Constructors title earning itself once again a nomination in the Team of the Year category.

Another member of motorsport's elite, six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez, has also been nominated, the Spaniard featuring in the Comeback of the Year category.

Marquez was forced to sit most of MotoGP's Covid-impacted 2020 season after badly injuring his right arm in his home race in Spain at the start of the year.

Video: Verstappen goes for gold with 2022 helmet design

The 28-year-old missed the opening two rounds of MotoGP's 2021 campaign but took a sensational win in last June's German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring.

Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, who lost out to Verstappen in Abu Dhabi, won the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award in 2020 while a special Laureus Athlete Advocate of the Year trophy was bestowed upon the Briton in 2021 for his ongoing efforts to promote racial justice and diversity.

The winners in the various categories of the 2022 Laureus Sports Awards will be announced during a virtual event scheduled to take place in the spring.

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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.