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Sebastian Montoya joins Red Bull junior programme

Sebastian Montoya – the son of seven-time F1 winner Juan Pablo Montoya – has joined Red Bull's Junior Team ahead of the 2023 season.

Montoya, who rose through the karting ranks in America, made his single-seater debut in 2020, racing in the ADAC Formula 4 and Italian Formula 4 championships with front-running Italian outfit Prema.

He contested both series again in 2021 and finished fourth overall in Italian F4 and ninth in ADAC F4.

Last year, the 17-year-old hopeful competed in the Asian and European Formula Regional categories, and in selected LMP2 outings in the IMSA SportsCar Championship alongside father Juan Pablo.

He also enjoyed a points-scoring appearance in a round of the FIA Formula 3 Championship at Zandvoort, his only participation in the series.

Montoya was already a Red Bull athlete but the energy drink has now expanded its support to include the young in its junior driver programme.

Read also: Williams adds F3 charger Colapinto to Driver Academy

Over the next two months, Montoya is set to take part in the Formula Regional Middle East Championship with Hitech.

"Excited to announce I am now part of the Red Bull's Official Junior Team," he announced on Instagram.

"This past year, I became part of the brand's athletes and now we will work together for the ultimate goal: F1."

Montoya is the third recent addition to Red Bull's junior team, alongside 2022 F3 runner-up Zane Maloney and Enzo Fittipaldi.

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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.