Preview - British Grand Prix 2006

It may lack the glitz and glamour of Monaco but in terms of heritage and atmosphere, Silverstone and the British Grand Prix comes a close second to the street circuit.

With seven rounds down and eleven to go, Fernando Alonso looks increasingly comfortable at the top of the standings as the F1 circus moves onto Northamptonshire a month earlier than usual.

Indeed, Monaco was as much about controversy as it was about action, with Michael Schumacher's astonishing attempt to prevent arch-rival Alonso from claiming pole position being duly punished the stewards.

The resulting back of the grid penalty left Alonso to claim a relatively easy victory, albeit not without a spirited challenge from Kimi Raikkonen and Mark Webber, who both succumbed to engine problems mid-way through the race.

Schumacher meanwhile was left to lick his wounds, but the German showed why he is considered the best driver on the F1 grid by storming up to fifth place on arguably the toughest circuit to overtake on.

Nonetheless, he is now some 21 points behind the Spaniard, who will be looking to maintain his enviable record of finishes in the top two this year at a circuit Renault can call their second home.

However, with McLaren defending their victory at Silverstone from last season and Monaco showing the form that has been anticipated from them all year, as well as the home support that will hope to lift Jenson Button following an awful race at the principality, this is by no means a two-horse race...

FIA F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP NEWS:

It has been an unusually quiet week for the F1 teams as they get in a last bit of testing before heading off to North America following the British Grand Prix.

However, as the season rapidly reaches a mid-way point, rumours have unsurprisingly begun to surface in a number of quarters.

Firstly, MF1 Racing has been the subject of more rumours concerning its future, with suggestions that the Russian squad could be sold off to Dutch consortium and sponsor Lost Boys in order to pump more money into the struggling team.

With a reported ?70 million on the table, it seems Alex Schnaider is having difficulty refusing a substantial amount of money, although no decision has been made.

In the driver market, Franck Montagny's run at Super Aguri could be nearing an end as the team's determination to field an all-Japanese line-up could see Sakon Yamamoto drafted in to join Takuma Sato from the French Grand Prix. Despite his limited F1 experience, Yamamoto proved impressive on a Friday test outing at his home grand prix last year.

As for next year, Jacques Villeneuve has admitted that he has not received an offer from BMW Sauber to retain him for 2007, despite the Canadian having one of his best season's for some time. Rumours suggest BMW are grooming impressive test driver Robert Kubica for a seat alongside Nick Heidfeld.

Williams have also been under speculation recently as they gear up to announce who will be powering their cars in 2007. Currently racing with Cosworth engines, a myriad of reliability worries and the desire of a works engine is said to be pushing Frank Williams towards a deal to have Toyota engines re-badged as Lexus'.

Having been the subject of perhaps the biggest rumour for some time, Valentino Rossi has finally confirmed that he will not make the leap from two to four wheels just yet, electing to stay with Yamaha for the time being. This means the battle for the two Ferrari drives next season is likely to be down to Michael Schumacher, Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen.

NEWS FROM THE TEAMS:
Renault - Fernando Alonso (#1), Giancarlo Fisichella (#2):

With a comprehensive points tally of 64 to his name from a maximum of 70, Alonso is beginning to exert a Schumacher-style dominance over the F1 field and it is appropriate that the one person he is showing a clean pair of heels is indeed the German.

Although his win in Monaco could have been considered inherited following Schumacher's demotion and Raikkonen and Webber's demise, Alonso added another Grand Prix to his CV and it is something he is looking to repeat at Silverstone.

Never a winner of the British Grand Prix, Alonso will be hoping that his experience of the circuit from his days testing there will serve him well, particularly as it is a track that he enjoys greatly.

"First of all, it makes the circuit tougher physically with so many high-speed corners, and quite a bumpy track surface, Silverstone is difficult for the drivers to cope with," Alonso said. "Then, of course, it is a question of fun. It is always a nice feeling to be attacking high-speed corners and be right on the limit."

Indeed, Alonso has predicted that Renault will be strong at Silverstone, although he now cites McLaren once again in the same league as Ferrari in terms of a race winning threat.

"I am feeling very confident ahead of this race. We had a good test at Silverstone and we know that the characteristics of the circuit are good for the R26, so there is no reason to think we won't be fighting at the front.

"There is no point making big predictions, saying we will definitely win. Ferrari will be very strong, McLaren maybe as well if they can maintain their speed from Monaco. It will not be an easy weekend, but I certainly think we can be fighting for the win."

Although he has been the subject of speculation in recent races and was a disappointing sixth place in Monaco following a grid penalty, Giancarlo Fisichella remains third in the championship standings and positively suggests that he is still having his best season so far and has never been driving better.

"I think it has been a good start to the season, and I am in a much stronger position than at the same time last year. When I have a clean race, without problems, then I finish on the podium. And even when incidents like we had in Monaco mean I have to start down the field,

"I am driving aggressively and making up positions - I overtook five cars on the track in Monte Carlo! I am driving better than ever, and it is great to be arriving at Silverstone, one of my favourite circuits in the whole season."

Fisichella is also expecting great things from his British Grand Prix having shown encouraging form there when testing earlier in the season.

"I was quickest there when we tested in April so for sure, I expect to be right up at the front of the field. I think this is one of the circuits for our package. Ferrari will be the main competitors, I think, and probably very close in terms of performance. But I think we have the performance to win the race this weekend."

McLaren - Kimi Raikkonen (#3), Juan Pablo Montoya (#4):

McLaren-Mercedes showed the kind of form that many had predicted prior to the season start at Monaco and are now hoping that they have turned a corner in terms of form as they attempt to reel in Renault and Ferrari.

Although Kimi Raikkonen's retirement from second place and what many people believed would have been a certain victory showed McLaren have not rid themselves of their reliability woes, eventual second place finisher Juan Pablo Montoya helped keep them in touch with Ferrari in the constructors' standings.

Indeed, Raikkonen is determined to claim victory at Silverstone, a race he considers one of the great achievements in the sport.

"The British Grand Prix is one I really want to win, as with Monaco it is another of the legendary races on a great track, and of course a home race for the team. Overtaking is possible, so pole position is not so important as in Monaco. I think there will be some different strategies come race day.

"When we were testing here in late April, the lap times were quicker than in 2005 because we are faster through the corners this year, most of the time has been found in the mid corner performance. This is partly because the smaller V8 engines allow new aero opportunities and also improved Michelin performance from last year. Where this had the most effect was at Copse, which is even quicker now than before, as it has always been one of the fastest we race through."

Winner of the 2005 race, Montoya ended a brief run of poor form at Monaco when he took a solid, if distant, second place behind Alonso. Back up to fifth in the drivers standings and still only four points behind Raikkonen, Montoya is determined to deliver another strong result on one of his favourite circuits.

"It was great to be back on the podium at Monaco and everyone in the team has continued to push hard since to try and find more performance in the car for the British Grand Prix. Silverstone is a great track, with some really exciting corners, I love to race at it and I hope we can repeat the result from last year when I took my debut victory for the team in front of our home crowd.

"It is such a contrast to the streets of Monte Carlo, it is all about super fast corners and pushing the limits of the car. The Maggots - Becketts - Chapel sequence at the start of the lap is awesome, you have to push really hard through here, so long as you have the
good balance you need, and are changing direction so quickly, hooking up the apexes, it is great fun!"

Ferrari - Michael Schumacher (#5), Felipe Massa (#6):

Two things emerged from the Monaco Grand Prix for Michael Schumacher. Firstly, his dubious reputation for sportsmanship reared its ugly head once again during qualifying for the race, and secondly, his superior reputation for taking on a challenge in the race.

With Monaco behind him though, Schumacher will need to refocus on the job in hand and that is to beat Fernando Alonso in a straight fight. Although Schumacher got the better of him at Imola and the Nurburgring, Alonso's lights-to-flag win in Barcelona shows that the German is not quite able to have things his own way.

However, after the steadfast denials of Monaco, Ferrari are more determined than ever to take the fight to both Alonso and Renault, with Schumacher looking to close that gap down to his rival again.

"We have to try to do well [this weekend] considering the current situation in the world championship," said Schumacher.

"It is obvious that we have to close the gap in the standings and we are determined to do it from the next grand prix on. Last week's test session went well and we have every reason to be optimistic. Let there be no doubts: our aim in going to England is to win!"

The one factor that may prove the team's undoing in terms of taking the fight to Renault as an overall package is Felipe Massa. Although the Brazilian has shown flashes of speed this year, his crash in qualifying and the subsequent loitering during the race at Monaco was a disappointment for Ferrari.

Nonetheless, Massa has a fine record at Silverstone, finishing in the top ten on the three occasions he has raced there, although he hasn't managed a points paying position yet. Still, he should be in a position to change that this time around though.

Toyota - Ralf Schumacher (#7), Jarno Trulli (#8):

Jarno Trulli almost gave Toyota's new TF106B car an excellent debut when he was all set to finish the Monaco Grand Prix in third place. However, reliability problems got the better of the Italian and although his retirement meant Ralf Schumacher claimed a consolation point, it was a bitterly disappointing end to the weekend.

However, while he was distraught not to get his first points of the year on the board, Trulli was encouraged by the car's pace, even if he admits that Monaco is not an ideal indication of the car's potential.

"Monaco was not the right place to judge the TF106B but the car behaved well in the race," Trulli said. "It has also showed promise during testing so I'm confident the car is a step forward but we can't yet say how much. We'll head to Silverstone hoping for a stronger weekend. After my difficult run this year I'm ready for a change of luck!"

Ralf Schumacher meanwhile has his sights set on the Silverstone skies, as he predicts the earlier schedule of the race could result in rather more unpredictable weather for this year's race.

"You can't really talk about the British Grand Prix without mentioning the weather. Indeed, the fact that we are racing at Silverstone in June - a month earlier than its traditional July date - means that it is an important factor in our preparations. The team will spend more time than usual looking at wet strategy.

"We also have to leave our options open for set-up as the weekend progresses because there is always a chance of a shower. But even in the dry the wind can be a factor because the surrounding area is so flat. The first half of the lap is particularly prone to wind changes and that can affect a quick lap."

He too though is confident in the ability of the revised Toyota as they bid to push to the kind of form that took them to fourth in the constructors' championship in 2005.

"It was difficult to assess the TF106B around the twisty Monaco circuit. But we should have a clearer picture at Silverstone and I'm sure we will have better results."

Williams F1 - Mark Webber (#9), Nico Rosberg (#10):

The image of Mark Webber parking up at the side of the track in a smoking Williams-Cosworth has not been a rare occurrence this year but his retirement from the Monaco Grand Prix was arguably the most bitter.

With more fuel than the leading Alonso and running a strong pace, Webber had his sights set on a surprise win or at least a podium but once again reliability issues got in the way and another strong result slipped through his fingers.

Nonetheless, Webber is not dwelling on what may have been and is instead channelling his efforts into transforming Williams' new found sense of speed into a good result at Silverstone,

However, he predicts the team not to be quite so competitive around the faster circuit, even if he will enjoy what he considers another home grand prix for him.

"Unfortunately, our Monaco pace will have no relevance whatsoever to next weekend at Silverstone as it requires totally different characteristics from the car. Of course, having lived in England for the past six or so years, Silverstone is almost like a second "home" Grand Prix for me.

"It's good to be able to go home each night and enjoy the familiar comfort of my own house, and also being able to share the weekend with friends and family which I don't often get to do."

Nico Rosberg too is anticipating a tougher Monaco experience but with experience of the circuit from testing there and claiming victory in GP2 at Silverstone last year, the German has still set his sights on points.

"Silverstone is a very exciting track. I already have quite a lot of experience of it as I have done lots of testing there, especially with the V10 engine last year. I don't think we are going to be as strong there as we were in Monaco, but I think we can still score some points."

Honda Racing F1 - Rubens Barrichello (#11), Jenson Button (#12):

Having not seen a home-grown winner of the British Grand Prix since David Coulthard in 2000, all eyes will be on Jenson Button to see if he can delight his fans with a win on familiar turf.

However, after a disappointing Monaco Grand Prix, Button will need a dramatic improvement if he is to challenge Renault, Ferrari and possibly McLaren for victory at Silverstone.

Nonetheless, although he admits that Honda have yet to find that extra pace that will push them to the front of the field, Button has a strong record at Silverstone and that extra support may yet help him to a potential podium.

"The British Grand Prix is my home race and it's a very emotional weekend for me. I'm very patriotic and having the support of all the British fans, to hear them chanting your name, is such a fantastic feeling. Silverstone is a very special circuit, it's incredibly fast with a long complex of high-speed corners which quite literally takes your breath away.

"We're aiming to get both cars in the points this weekend, it's going to be tough for us as we're just not on front-running pace at the moment, but I'm sure we will get the maximum possible out of the car."

Although Rubens Barrichello has a total of nine race wins to his name, arguably his greatest triumph was his 2003 Silverstone victory, where the inspired Brazilian pulled off a series of sparkling manoeuvres to claim a win for Ferrari.

While a similar result in the under performing Honda is unlikely, Barrichello has shown a greater turn of pace in recent rounds, out-qualifying Button for the third time in a row and going on to claim his best result of the year in fourth place in Monaco.

Barrichello is hoping he can translate his recent form into another points finish at one of his favourite circuits, particularly after his 2003 win.

"Of course the most special of those is my win from pole position back in 2003. Silverstone is just a fantastic circuit. It's a high-speed track with some challenging corners, and although overtaking can be a bit difficult around here, it's a track that I really enjoy driving. I've spent a great deal of time both testing and racing at Silverstone since I was young, so it holds some special memories for me."

Red Bull Racing - David Coulthard (#14), Christian Klien (#15):

Arguably the most heart-warming story to emerge from Monaco, Red Bull pulled off a podium result that surprised everyone, including team boss Christian Horner who was made to fulfil his promise to jump into the Monaco harbour naked should they reach the rostrum.

Indeed, David Coulthard's drive to third place was one that few expected following a disappointing start to the year that has been peppered with mechanical problems.

Interestingly, though Monaco could have proved even more fruitful had Christian Klien, who had been running in front of Coulthard, been able to get to the finish before his car cried enough.

Nonetheless, Red Bull Racing come to Silverstone on a high, with Coulthard determined not to let Button hog all the patriotic limelight. However, while Monaco's low speed turns and Red Bull's nimble chassis combined to make them far more competitive than usual, the situation is expected to be somewhat different at the far quicker British circuit.

Points will be the main aim but with characteristics more akin to other circuits where Red Bull have struggled this year then it is unlikely the team will be able to repeat their Monaco feat.
BMW Sauber - Nick Heidfeld (#16), Jacques Villeneuve (#17):

Nick Heidfeld helped BMW Sauber maintain their steady steam of points in Monaco to claim two points for seventh place.

Although the team struggled throughout the weekend, the impressive reliability from what is still a young team helped them pick off a number of rivals and take what is their fifth points finish of the year from seven races.

It is a run they will be looking to continue at Silverstone, although Jacques Villeneuve admits that they need to improve their qualifying performance if they are to able to build upon their encouraging race pace.

"It has gone better for us recently in the race than in qualifying and it is the type of track I
like racing on, although I am not a big fan of qualifying there for some reason," the Canadian said.

"Maybe it is the way we set the car up. Compared to other tracks, there are a lot of high-speed corners at Silverstone where we carry a lot of speed into them without braking. It is difficult to overtake on and quite a physical race.

"At the test we had there we were not extremely competitive, but the track has some fun
corners to drive, even though I am not that fond of the two chicanes. Turn one can be fun
and this year it will be flat out in qualifying for a few laps, so that could make it fun..

Nick Heidfeld meanwhile is excited to be returning to Britain, not only to race around Silverstone, but also to interact with what he claims is the most enthusiastic of the F1 crowds.

"Silverstone is a classic in the racing calendar and a circuit that all the drivers and teams
know very well because a lot of testing is done there," he said. "At the end of April we spent three days there with the BMW Sauber F1 Team. It's a challenging track with a couple of fast
corners. The Becketts combination, in particular, is great fun. But you also feel the wind
there, which sometimes blasts in across the flat terrain.

"The other thing I like about this grand prix is the well-informed fans. England has a lot of
genuine motor sport enthusiasts. They aren't so much interested in the personalities as in
the sport itself."

MF1 Racing - Tiago Monteiro (#18), Christijan Albers (#19):

Once again in the news due to speculation over their future, MF1 Racing go to Silverstone having shown an upturn in form at Monaco. Although their result was stymied by a rather controversial collision between Tiago Monteiro and Christijan Albers off the start line, MF1 did show improved form at Monaco, with lap times that were rivalling those ahead of them.

If Monaco though was their best chance of points then Silverstone will arguably not be far behind, as the team is based at the circuit and conduct the majority of their testing there.

Indeed, Monteiro is eager to put on a good show for what is effectively the Russian team's home race and has even cautiously predicted a possible points finish.

"Silverstone is our home race, so obviously it will be very important for the drivers and the whole team to do well here. There will be lots of fans and sponsors in the stands, as well as many employees and their families, which should make for a fun atmosphere. We do a fair amount of testing here, so we are familiar with the set-up, but weather conditions are always changing and that can make things quite tricky.

"We missed a good opportunity in Monaco, where we showed good pace all weekend, so I am more motivated than ever to do well and hopefully, score our first points."

Albers too has set his sights on a good result, particularly as MF1 are based so close to the circuit in the old Jordan Grand Prix factory.

"I am really looking forward to Silverstone. I have been testing there a few times this year, so it's a circuit that I know well. The Midland factory is situated in Silverstone next to the track, and the whole team there is working very hard to make progress. For them it's their home race, so it's a very important race for all of us."

Scuderia Toro Rosso - Vitantonio Liuzzi (#20), Scott Speed (#21):

Still striving for that elusive first point, Monaco was expected to see Scuderia Toro Rosso battle for a place in the top eight but were once again restricted by a fuel strategy that did not work out for Vitantonio Liuzzi.

Indeed, the Italian had been running with eventual points scorers Nick Heidfeld and Ralf Schumacher but was forced to cross the line in a still season best tenth place.

Nonetheless, his result was better than that of Scott Speed who struggled around the twists and turns of Monaco, ending the race down in 13th place and battling with the Midlands.

STR have shown well during testing at Silverstone though and their V10 engines could benefit should the full throttle stress that could afflict the V8 engines, meaning those points may not be so far away.
Super Aguri F1 - Takuma Sato (#22), Yuji Ide (#23):

Another team that will see the British Grand Prix as something of a home race, Super Aguri are located at Leafield, only a few miles from Silverstone, despite their Japanese origins.

However, any hopes of a famous result will be wishful thinking because while Super Aguri have every now and then managed to lift themselves from the back of the field in practice, they are not yet able to challenge those directly ahead on a more consistent scale.

Still, Takuma Sato is a regular Silverstone favourite having driven for the locally based Jordan and BAR teams over the years, while his time in British Formula Three means he has plenty of experience.

"The British Grand Prix always feels like my second home race as I used to live in the UK and I have great memories of driving at Silverstone from my Junior Formulae days.

"I very much like the circuit layout; the first part features high-speed, flowing corners which are really great to drive and the last section features the tough complex which is also challenging on the engineering side as it requires good mechanical grip."

Buoyed by a contract extension that will last until the United States Grand Prix, Franck Montagny posted his first Formula One finish in Monaco and with the extra running in the car the Frenchman is eager to see the chequered flag at Silverstone.

"I think that it will be a good race, very different from the Grands Prix we have been to so far for sure. The weather will be a lot colder, but the atmosphere should be great. We collected a lot of data during the race in Monaco, much more than we had before, so I think that it will be cool and we will be able to make further progress at Silverstone this week."

TYRES:

Although the V8 engines have reduced the straight line speed around Silverstone, the circuit's fast sweeping turns combined with the improved cornering speed means that lap times are expected to be competitive, while the tyres will have to contend with plenty of stress.

Nonetheless, Michelin are confident that theirs will be the tyre to have, with Juan Pablo Montoya and Fernando Alonso duly agreeing.

"The Silverstone circuit is completely different from the streets of Monaco, where we raced two weeks ago," Montoya said. "It is all about super-fast corners that demand you push the car right to the limit to get a quick lap time. The quick sweeps make Silverstone quite hard on tyres, particularly those fitted to the car's left-hand side."

"The Michelin tyres were very good when we tested in Silverstone a couple of months ago, and I am very confident that they will be strongest this weekend," Alonso added. "But we have to run, to wait and see the conditions, before we make too many predictions.

"At the last races, we have seen the balance of power shift between the first day of practice and the race itself, so we will have to see how the track evolves, and what the tyre performance is like on Sunday afternoon.

Bridgestone meanwhile will be looking to address the balance at Silverstone after going five-two down to Michelin in Monaco. Indeed, Hisao Suganuma believes their Barcelona test between the two races will stand them in good stead for one of their five teams to take at least a podium result.

"We had a very productive test in Spain last week and looking at the results of the three Bridgestone shod teams who were running there, we have been encouraged to think that the chosen specifications for our five teams this coming weekend, some of which have not previously been raced before, will be competitive."

THE TRACK:

Race Distance: 60 laps - Circuit Length: 3.194 miles (5.141 kms)

The historic Silverstone circuit, a former airfield, is one of the few remaining venues where Formula One cars can really be unleashed. As a result, it is still one of the highlights of the calendar which was been well demonstrated by some great races in recent years.

The circuit itself is a thrilling drive, although there is some criticism over a lack of passing places. However, overtaking moves are possible into Vale and Abbey, although cars tend to lose downforce following each other closely through the preceding fast corners. The entry to Becketts is the quickest corner on the track, a 290kph bend, while the slowest section is the 80kph Vale left-hander that leads directly into Club.
THE WINNER?

This weekend sees the start of the Football World Cup and just as we are supporting England's chances in Germany, it is likely that it will be a German to beat on British soil come Sunday.

Now with the bit between his teeth following Monaco, Schumacher will be on a charge to take on Alonso, while the Spaniard will begin looking at consistency to ease home the title with 11 rounds still to run.

Nonetheless, McLaren cannot be discounted and although Finland and Colombia are not in the World Cup, this is Raikkonen and Montoya's chance to upset the Renault-Ferrari stronghold.

With England's first game on the Silverstone big screens, Jenson Button is likely to be buoyed by the increased sense of patriotism but will need a big improvement if he is likely to hold up a cup at the end of the weekend.

LAST SEASON:

Having played a supporting role to Kimi Raikkonen for most of the year, Juan Pablo Montoya stood up to take the limelight in the 2005 British Grand Prix, receiving applause for a race that saw him pull one of the year's best moves on Alonso at Maggots and maintain that lead to the end.

Alonso came second, ahead of Raikkonen who had fought from 12th on the grid following an engine change, just ahead of the luckless Fisichella, who lost the chance of a podium when he stalled coming out of his second pit stop.

Having started on the front row, Jenson Button slipped back to take a distant fifth place, ahead of the two Ferraris and Ralf Schumacher's Toyota.

1. Juan Pablo Montoya Colombia McLaren-Mercedes 1hr 24mins 29.588secs 60 laps
2. Fernando Alonso Spain Renault-Renault +2.7secs
3. Kimi Raikkonen Finland McLaren-Mercedes +14.4secs
4. Giancarlo Fisichella Italy Renault-Renault +17.9secs
5. Jenson Button Britain BAR-Honda +40.2secs
6. Michael Schumacher German Ferrari +1min 15.3secs
7. Rubens Barrichello Brazil Ferrari +1min 16.5secs
8. Ralf Schumacher Germany Toyota-Toyota +1min 19.2secs