Vettel: Britain crucial for title hopes

Vettel took a commanding win in the last race in Valencia, but rival McLaren is introducing a significant update to its car in the the hope of matching Red Bull's speed.

That is why Vettel believes the weekend will be crucial to see how the championship battle will pan out in the second half of the season.

"It will be a very important one," Vettel told reports at Silverstone on Thursday.

"McLaren is quite confident that they make a very big step so it will be crucial for them, having that many expectations going into this race, it is important for us to see how big their step is going to be.

"Probably then we can make out how the rest of the season or the next five races will look like. It will be an important one definitely, also because I think here you are able to read the changes you make to the car quite well.

"You have the types of corners that show you quite well who has made a step or not, so I am confident we can win it. It will be an important one, surely."

Despite Red Bull dominating the last race, and also having won comfortably at Silverstone in 2009, Vettel is refusing to see himself as favourite for victory.

"We need to see. As I said, it is still a bit unknown because parts of the circuit are unknown, some part traditionally our car was working very well here, especially last year, plus we do have some new bits other teams there are some rumours that there are a couple of tenths coming - or even seconds - so we need to see where we are.

"But I think by the end of tomorrow we know already much better. Surely our target is to win races or win the championship. Of course we have to be in a position to fight for race wins and big points."