Wehrlein hopeful of progress following upgrades

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Pascal Wehrlein endured a difficult Spanish GP weekend, finishing well down the order just in front of his team mate Rio Haryanto as both Manor cars spent a lonely afternoon at the tail end of the field.

Following an encouraging start to the season which saw him battle, at least in qualifying with Sauber and even Force India, the Mercedes protégé driver has struggled lately but hopes that recent upgrades introduced in Barcelona will boost the team's and his own performance level.

"We got both cars to the finish, which was good, but otherwise there isn't much more to say, our race was pretty much as we expected," Wehrlein explained.

"The upgrades are positive but they didn't influence the overall result at this track with the way the race panned out.

"We also suffered from quite high tyre degradation again, so there is still some way to go to keep improving the car."

Manor and Wehrlein are hoping the next couple of races, at Monaco and Montreal, are better suited for achieving better results.

"I think the next couple of races will be a little better for us and of course Monaco is a track I've been most looking forward to.

"My first race there will be something very special so we'll keep working hard and looking forward."

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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.