Magnussen unable to quench his thirst

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After 61 grueling laps in the heat and humidity, Kevin Magnussen looked pretty much the worse for wear at the end of last Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix.

The Dane brought Renault its second points finish and seventh point of the season as he crossed the line in 10th position.

But the achievement visibly came at a price with Magnussen physically drained a thoroughly in need of hydration, having raced all evening without access to his water bottle.

"Physically it was very tough, I didn't have any water in the car, so it was pretty tough," Magnussen explained to Autosport.

"I don't know what the problem was. I'm not sure if there was any water in or if the bottle failed, but the team definitely owes me a drink!

"In the end I just had to block it from my mind and get on with it."

Renault put its driver on a risky two-stop strategy using the UltraSoft and SuperSoft compounds, a call which paid off in the end however.

"With a bit more straightline speed, we could have maybe done the Toro Rosso and the Force India in the end.

"But still, I'm really happy with this. The team did a really good job over the weekend and everyone in this team deserves it."

Magnussen's run in the points in Singapore will perhaps go a long way towards convincing Renault to keep the Dane onboard for 2017. The French manufacturer has yet to announce its driver line-up for next season.

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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.