New track, same favourite for British GP

Saturday, 9 July 2011 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Formula One heads to a new-look Silverstone this week for the 62nd British Grand Prix.

But with Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel already holding a 77-point advantage over his nearest rivals - McLaren’s Jenson Button and his Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber - the other drivers need to make a stand to avoid the season turning into a procession.

Button and his team-mate Lewis Hamilton will be hoping to break two years of Red Bull dominance in Britain, with Webber winning in 2010 and Vettel the year before.

Reigning world champion Vettel has been almost perfect in the eight races so far, claiming pole for seven of them and winning six, with Button’s win in Canada and Hamilton’s triumph in China the only time he has missed out.

Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa have been disappointing for Ferrari this season, although Alonso has managed two second-placed finishes - in Monaco and the most recent Grand Prix in Valencia in June.

Pirelli confirmed last week it will take the hard and soft compound tyres to the UK, the same formula that saw Alonso struggle in the Spanish Grand Prix on May 22.

Although he is disappointed with the decision, the Spaniard said he would not dwell on it.

“For us that means one more challenge, namely being able to make all types of tyre work as well as possible,” Alonso said on Ferrari’s website last week.

“Anyway, the tyre choice is the same for everyone and there’s no point discussing if the pair of compounds chosen is more suited to one team or another. It’s up to the teams to adjust the cars to get the best out of the tyres both in terms of performance and life.”

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher is another who has performed below expectations this season, with a fourth place in Montreal the veteran’s best effort.

The British GP will also welcome a new driver to the Formula One ranks, with 22-year-old Australian Daniel Ricciardo replacing Narain Karthikeyan for the HRT team.

The circuit has also undergone some modifications since last year, with a 28 million-pound upgrade to the pit lane completed in May.

The relocation of the paddock and the start sees Abbey become turn one, while Brooklands - which saw thrills aplenty last year - is unchanged but is now turn six.