Kovalainen put in a bid for Bottas seat at Williams

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Nothing ventured nothing gained as they say, so Heikki Kovalainen contacted Williams to offer his services in a bid to replace fellow Finn Valtteri Bottas.

To no avail obviously, and the 35-year-old who raced for Renault, McLaren, Lotus and Caterham was probably not the only one to appeal to the good memories of Claire Williams.

"Yes, I sent Claire an email," the 35-year-old, who also drove for Renault and Caterham, told the Finnish broadcaster MTV.

"But they had other plans. Probably many other drivers had sent the same message," added 2008 Hungarian GP winner Kovalainen, who won the Japanese category Super GT in 2016.

'They made me an offer I could not refuse,' says Massa

Kovalainen said he is now happy with his GT career in Japan, although he will with great interest the progress of his Bottas year, as the younger Finn replaces reigning world champion Nico Rosberg at Mercedes.

Kovalainen measured up against Bottas' team mate Lewis Hamilton in 2008 and 2009.

"I'm not going to predict how Valtteri will go, but he is a very good driver," Kovalainen told Ilta Sanomat newspaper.

"Valtteri has sufficient ability to be at the top. I also believe the cooperation between Valtteri and Lewis will go well. Both are professional drivers," he said.

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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.