The 2006 British Grand Prix Preview

The British Grand Prix at Silverstone in Northampton is home to more than half of the teams, all of whom will have a lot to prove in front of their sponsors and home crowd. The earlier date promises cooler, potentially wetter weather, whilst the V8 formula should offer more interesting racing.

Analysis

Despite most of the teams getting in plenty of testing at Silverstone this year, the new V8 formula on this fast circuit should mean that there is opportunity for the drivers to make some difference in the fastest corners - so they are not all expected to line up alongside their teammates.

On the downside, the drivers all know the circuit well and can be expected to perform close to their limit all weekend. Unless something happens to shake up the order, this could be a static event - so a spot of rain would very much liven up the action.

The change to V8 engines, combined with better tyres and aerodynamics means that more of the circuit is taken flat out: there is likely to be a lot of sparring between partners as to who lifts earliest in the lap, perhaps leading to some interesting off-track excursions in testing.

Flashback

In 2005, McLaren were heading to Silverstone in dominating form, but an engine failure in practice saw Kimi Raikkonen start the qualifying session with a ten place penalty looming. The Finn accordingly ran a heavy load, so qualified second - just - behind Fernando Alonso. Jenson Button's first sector mistake dropped his BAR to third, ahead of Montoya, Trulli and Barrichello. Fisichella was seventh and Michael Schumacher tenth.

En route to the grid, Takuma Sato made a mistake, leading to his car stopping at Luffield; otherwise, it was an uneventful start. Alonso pulled away cleanly, with Montoya leaping past Button to set up an attach in to Copse, running round the outside for a side-by-side entry to Becketts - leading to Alonso backing off.

The safety car then came out as the marshals had not yet cleared Sato's BAR; it gave enough time for the car to be restored to the pits, however, and he rejoined the race a lap down. As it turns out, the only retirement of the day came on lap eleven: Karthikeyan out after electrical problems.

The first stops saw Alonso and Montoya again fighting at turn two, but the order remained unchanged; Raikkonen, running heavy, passed Alonso then pitted, returning in sixth place; Fisichella had passed Button for fourth. The second round saw Fisichella's car stall - as it had in France - costing him a podium place as the delay allowed Raikkonen to pass for third.

Little changed for the remainder of the race, though Raikkonen set fastest lap on his final circuit.

Pos  Driver        Team                  Time
 1.  Montoya       McLaren-Mercedes  (M)  1h24:29.588
 2.  Alonso        Renault           (M)  +     2.739
 3.  Raikkonen     McLaren-Mercedes  (M)  +    14.436
 4.  Fisichella    Renault           (M)  +    17.914
 5.  Button        BAR-Honda         (M)  +    40.264
 6.  M.Schumacher  Ferrari           (B)  +  1:15.322
 7.  Barrichello   Ferrari           (B)  +  1:16.567
 8.  R.Schumacher  Toyota            (M)  +  1:19.212

Fastest lap: Raikkonen, 1:20.502

Weather

The early June date means cooler weather and more likelihood of showers - the current prediction is for a dry, sunny weekend, but a complete change is entirely possible between now and then.

Tyres

Last season, this was very much a Michelin circuit, but the changes in Bridgestone this season means that is unlikely to remain the case: the manufacturer looked strong in Spain, both at the recent test and when they raced in May. With high speed corners and abrasive surfaces, both companies will be bringing tyres from the harder end of their ranges - and plenty more in case of wet weather.

Strategy

Ordinarily, Silverstone should be a two-stop race. Although there is some argument that running softer tyres and three stops would offer a qualifying advantage, making it pay off on race day requires on track passes: certainly possible, particularly if it rains, but something of a gamble.

Conclusions

Although Renault start the weekend as favourites to win again, there is no doubt that Ferrari have got their act together and will be a force to be reckoned with. McLaren and Honda ought to head the also-runs, though Toyota's new chassis might give them a shot at the podium too.

With the top five teams looking so strong, any other team will do well to pick up a point.

A lap of Silverstone with Gary Paffett

A flying lap of Silverstone begins with the extremely fast and challenging Copse Corner. You arrive at the right hander at 306km/h, before dabbing the brakes, with your speed dropping slightly to 226km/h in fifth as you swing through the bend, which is off-camber at the exit.

A short burst of power takes you to one of the best complex of corners we have at any Grand Prix track, the Maggots-Becketts-Chapel S-bends. You have to be careful as you reach Maggots as this is where you drive past the pit exit, however throughout the complex you maintain speeds of 202km/h to 302km/h as you take the sequence of right and left flicks flat out, before being swung onto the fastest section of the track, Hanger straight.

Taken flat out with a top speed of 310km/h in sixth gear, this long blast leads to Stowe. Due to the late nature of the apex you are braking all the way into the corner, flicking down the gears to 184km/h to negotiate the right-hander. The worst thing you can get here is understeer as it will affect your lap time a lot in that particular corner.

You then roll out into a very straight forward exit along Vale that takes you down into Club, reaching 276km/h before braking for the long right-hander. You can develop a bit of oversteer here, as you accelerate through the corner reaching 293km/h.

Then there is a straightforward acceleration from second to sixth gear out of Club corner which has been made easier by traction control. Then you go down the short straight to the left of Abbey corner, which is taken in second gear, at 117km/h, has a very fast entry and is a good place for overtaking.

There is a short exit before the flick right of Farm, and you then go up and over the hill into Bridge corner, which is taken flat at 255km/h in fifth gear. You then enter the Stadium Complex and some of the best overtaking opportunities on the track.

It starts with a quick entry into Luffield in fourth gear. It's quite fun to drift the car out there and it tends to dance around with the back end. You come out of Luffield and get on the brakes straight away for the tight left of Priory, which is taken at 166km/h, and is immediately followed by the 102km/h second gear tight left of Brooklands, which sees you steer the car through 180-degrees.

The final corner in the complex is Luffield. Entering this long right hander your speed is around the 133km/h mark in second gear, dropping to 104km/h in the same gear as you exit. The sweeping right of Woodcote is the final corner, you accelerate through the two apexes of the bend as you swing back round onto the pit straight to begin another lap of Silverstone.

Team by Team

Renault

With another win under their belts from Monaco, the Renault team are in a commanding position as they head to Silverstone, though perhaps there is an element of fortune to their success: Raikkonen's retirement and Schumacher's demotion to the back of the grid took out two drivers who appeared to be quicker on race day than the winner.

Giancarlo Fisichella in the Renault R26 © LAT

Silverstone is not expected to be the strongest circuit for Renault, but it does play to their strengths; the emphasis on aerodynamic strength and a balanced package should ensure they remain very quick. The real question will be over how much ground the competition has made up.

Arguably the toughest challenge will come from Ferrari; provided their Bridgestone tyres are working well for the weekend, the outfit will be very strong and perhaps will have the outright pace to win. Accordingly, a strong qualifying session and canny race strategy will probably be required to keep Renault at the forefront.

Drivers: Fernando Alonso is riding high after very strong showings in Spain and Monaco; the Spaniard is favourite to win again and should be running at the front all weekend.

Giancarlo Fisichella continues to show abysmal luck, illustrated by his qualifying penalty for accidental obstruction in Monaco; he put together some great passes at that circuit, despite the notoriously difficult overtaking there, but still only finished sixth. Should his fortune permit it, he is capable of fighting right at the front.

Objectives: Win, with both cars on the podium.

McLaren Mercedes

Yet another retirement whilst challenging for the lead, and it is easy to imagine that Kimi Raikkonen might have had enough of McLaren. The team had their first properly competitive race of the season in Monaco, with Montoya profiting from Raikkonen's misfortune to finish second. They demonstrated, as often happens, that even in an off year they should never be entirely discounted.

Getting a similar result in Silverstone is not likely to be easy, though there has been some cautious optimism from the outfit. The forthcoming race emphasises very different chassis characteristics, but the team are expected to bring out some enhancements to the rear chassis and aerodynamics, which could bring them closer to the front. There has been talk of strategic changes this year - perhaps their simulations have shown something, based on all the testing this year - but it is hard to imagine they will have a strategy that is sufficiently better than Ferrari or Renault to make up a performance gap.

Drivers: Kimi Raikkonen has again demonstrated his pace is excellent when he has the car to deliver - another performance on the same level might see him competitive for much of the race, but unless the team made more progress than they showed in Barcelona, it seems most likely he is chasing a podium finish.

Juan Pablo Montoya's second place in Monaco seems to have given the Colombian a more positive outlook, which will help for the Silverstone weekend; this is where he won last year, and perhaps he will perform on a par with Raikkonen this time out.

Objectives: Both cars in the points - fighting for a podium finish.

Ferrari

The dismal qualifying session in Monaco - with Massa crashing on his out lap, and Schumacher moved to the back of the grid for an irregularity - wrecked what could have been a very strong weekend for the team. In the event, Schumacher's evident pace was only enough to scrape into the points, and Massa trailed along some way behind.

Michael Schumacher broke the track record at Barcelona in testing © LAT

Testing since then, the team have been strong in Barcelona and have to be heading to England in a very positive frame of mind. The package is looking strong and balanced, once they can get the tyres working, so it is entirely possible they have closed the gap to Renault for this race.

On the downside, the controversy over Schumacher's qualifying incident could see the team facing distractions; the other drivers are going to grill him at their pre-event meeting, and the press is still having a field day. That said, having the race to concentrate on might give him his only real escape from the spotlight.

Drivers: Michael Schumacher, moments of madness aside, can never be discounted. At Silverstone, he has to be considered Alonso's main challenger - and considering the recent testing pace, could well be in a position to take this race.

Felipe Massa did not cover himself in glory in Monaco, crashing at the start of qualifying, so he has something to prove this weekend. He has been very quick in testing, putting the revised Ferrari though its paces as the team gear up for Silverstone: this could be a great opportunity to make amends, particularly if he can get on the podium.

Objectives: Win the race - both cars on the podium.

Toyota

With the new TF06B chassis looking half way respectable in Monaco, the Toyota team have to be looking for improved results from the remaining races - though they are going to have to work on reliability in order to make much headway.

Since that weekend, Toyota have been testing their new chassis, learning more about its behaviour. Whilst not on a par with the leading duo, there is no doubt that headway has been made - though it will be interesting to see if they can convert that into points at the race ahead.

The new chassis is purportedly more stable in the middle of the corners; at this circuit, where it is vital to carry speed through the corners, this should translate into tangible results. Of course, it is also a change from the old beast, so learning how to set it up for Silverstone is going to be part of the learning curve for the weekend ahead!

Drivers: Jarno Trulli seems to find the revised chassis more agreeable with his style, so it is fair to expect a strong qualifying session, though maintaining the pace for the whole race might be a weakness.

Ralf Schumacher is not so excited by Trulli's improved pace - the duo are arguably more evenly matched than they have ever been at Toyota; the German might not have quite the same flare for qualifying, but when he is on form, he is difficult to beat.

Objectives: Finish with both cars in the points.

Williams Cosworth

Monaco should have been a triumph for Williams, but a failing exhaust and sticking throttle saw them miss out on a double podium, and certainly two points finishes. However, the pace they showed there is unlikely to be of much use in the UK.

Silverstone is going to emphasise the aerodynamics of the package - the Cosworth engine will do little harm, perhaps allowing them to run with higher drag aero, but the emphasis will be on keeping the car fast through the medium and high speed corners without compromising on the straight.

Mark Webber © LAT

This weekend should offer a realistic chance to fight for points, but it will probably take poor reliability from the front of the grid to make much ground.

Drivers: Mark Webber might put on a show in qualifying - the Australian has continued to impress through the season - but at this circuit, holding on to the qualifying spot is likely to be tough, as overtaking, whilst tough, is very definitely possible.

Nico Rosberg has nothing to lose; he is encouraged by the recent improvements to the car and has worked hard to improve his game. Should he get a decent qualifying session together, then a strong race is in prospect.

Objectives: Score points.

Honda

This really has not been the season Honda expected - and their Monaco performance really showed that. Rubens Barrichello nearly dragged a podium out of the car, but a pitlane speeding penalty put him down a place; meanwhile Jenson Button struggled to make the car work and really never threatened to do anything. A tough weekend for a team that had expected to be challenging for wins.

Silverstone is likely to be a little more even-handed: both cars have decent aerodynamics and powerful engines; the package is quick and nimble - and there is no excuse for failing to dial the car in, as the team have practiced there a lot. Accordingly, they are capable of finishing in the points. Though, even with the scheduled engine upgrade, getting on to the podium will be tough.

Drivers: As Jenson Button's home race, the pressure is on the Brit to perform well this weekend, though the crowd will be all too aware that his car is probably not in the hunt for the win. Perhaps a front row qualifying session would help to restore faith after the dismal showing last time out.

Rubens Barrichello's disappointment after Monaco notwithstanding, the fourth place finish was at list vindication of his place in the team. The Brazilian is also usually quick at Silverstone, so he ought to be able to keep Button on his toes.

Objectives: Both cars in the points - ideally challenging for a podium finish.

Red Bull Racing Ferrari

Monaco is likely to be the crowning point of the 2006 campaign for Red Bull: the team's first podium was the result of an unfortunate baulking of Coulthard in qualifying followed by a dogged, flawlessly executed race. A second podium this year would take some extraordinary racing.

Silverstone is probably not the venue for that, though. The circuit is probably not going to suit Red Bull: the emphasis on aerodynamics will probably leave them struggling against the manufacturer-backed teams. A top ten result would be a good result - points are probably not on the cards.

Drivers: David Coulthard should benefit from crowd support at his home race; whilst not as visible as the Button crowd, the Scot has a good following at the British GP, and he usually seems to step up a gear in front of them, and he is riding high after scoring the podium in Monaco. Of course, the competition will be fierce, so coming away with a point would be a great result.

Christian Klien had a less happy outing in Monaco and could use a decent race: bearding Coulthard at his home event would be even better; that said, beating his team leader is going to be tough.

Objectives: Score a point.

BMW Sauber

Nick Heidfeld after retiring at Monaco © LAT

It was something of a mixed weekend in Monte Carlo, as Heidfeld's points belied early reliability problems and a general lack of pace. On the positive side, a strong start followed by tough defence of the positions gained, benefiting from retirements ahead - the perfectly executed Monaco strategy saw Heidfeld finish seventh.

Scoring at Silverstone is not going to be easy, though. The team absolutely must find more outright performance in the car: it is a track where overtaking is possible, so it will be vital to have decent speed on the straights without giving up cornering pace, and making the tyres last the full race distance will be important.

Although the F1.06 has revised aerodynamics, it is going to be tough stacking up against the revised Toyota and the front runners: snatching a point here would be a solid achievement.

Drivers: Jacques Villeneuve knows Silverstone very well and has been quick there in the past, so he'll be looking for a points finish if possible.

Nick Heidfeld's run from fifteenth to seventh was a strong performance in Monaco, which can do nothing but build confidence for Silverstone. His record there has been decent in the past, so another chase for points could be on the cards.

Objectives: Score more points.

Midland Toyota

The rumours of a sell-out have been confirmed - or at least, the potential for the team to be sold. After another tough weekend at Monaco, the future of the team remains uncertain, though it is clear they need considerable investment if they are to move forwards.

As it stands, the team are struggling to make much of an impression. That they have taken a step forward since 2005 is evident, but compared against the remainder of the field, they are slowly falling behind.

Drivers: Having tangled with his teammate at the start of the Monaco race, Christijan Albers earned a penalty for causing an avoidable incident - but then got lucky with the safety car; the team will have impressed the need to preserve the equipment better this weekend, however, though whether it will lead to a more conservative start is to be seen.

That collision damaged Tiago Monteiro's aerodynamics, leading to him pitting for a new front wing; that led in turn to a tough battle with Montagny in Monaco, finally seeing the Midland driver muscle through. Another strong drive would be useful this weekend, though picking off midfield runners will be difficult.

Objectives: Get both cars to the finish - beating more than Super Aguri.

Toro Rosso Cosworth

Having failed to leverage a podium from Monaco with their V10 engine, Toro Rosso should have put their critics behind them. Of course, Liuzzi was able to beat Jenson Button in the factory Honda, which was a good result - though he thinks the safety car ruined a chance at points - but it is still a result they will do well to emulate.

Testing since Monaco has been limited, with little progress being shown, though more tyre work should offer useful data for the next couple of events. With limited development, Silverstone will be a tough proposition. The V10 torque should be useful, but the circuit best rewards high cornering speeds, stressing the aerodynamics - an area that needs plenty of work.

Scott Speed and Vitantonio Liuzzi © GEPA/Red Bull

Drivers: Vitantonio Liuzzi had a respectable race in Monaco, and should be hoping to make the most of his previous F1 experience racing at Silverstone to beat Scott Speed. The rookie, meanwhile, has tested here and raced in junior formulae, so his objective is clearly to beat his teammate. They will do well to fight any other midfield teams this weekend.

Objectives: Beat the Super Aguri and Midland teams. Get both cars to the finish.

Super Aguri Honda

It was a halfway decent outing at Monaco for Super Aguri - although Takuma Sato's race finished early with electrical issues, Franck Montagny made it to his first finish, and only three laps down: a respectable result.

Heading to Silverstone, things are unlikely to improve; the car continues to have small evolutions every event, but they are really doing little to move them forwards.

Drivers: Sato should have a good time at Silverstone, testing his bravery against how far in to the lap he can make it without lifting with the V8 engines. Montagny will be looking to build on his first race finish by fighting Sato through the race - the Frenchman is building his racing mileage, and soon could be a real threat to the Japanese.

Objectives: Get both cars to the finish.