Santander British GP :: Preview
6 days ago
It’s the beginning of July and we’re just a few days off heading to our home race – the Santander British Grand Prix. There’s much to look forward to, with a new pit and paddock complex and a new starting position for our drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.
Lewis has fond memories of racing at Silverstone – he won the race the year he won his World Drivers’ Championship and is looking to add another home win to his tally if possible.
He said: “My victory at Silverstone in 2008 was one of the sweetest and most satisfying moments of my entire Formula 1 career – and it’s a memory that I always carry with me. Standing on the top step of the podium, and looking across at the sea of flags and faces in the grandstands opposite was simply incredible.
“For this year, of course, we head to a very new Silverstone – and while much has changed around the circuit and in the paddock, I’m sure that all those thousands of fans will be just as passionate as ever – it’s one of the greatest things about the Santander British Grand Prix.
“Going into this race, we’re facing some very stiff new interpretations of the regulations; while they’ll affect all teams, it will be interesting to see if the competitive order is changed as a result. It’s going to be a busy weekend for our engineers as they adapt – as always, they’ll do a fantastic job to ensure we stay competitive.
“I’m really looking forward to Silverstone: it’s one of the best circuits in the world, and I really think that the arrival of DRS and KERS Hybrid will make this one of the best and most exciting British Grands Prix ever.”
Jenson is eager to improve on his career best fourth place finish at the circuit and admits it would mean everything to win in front of his home fans, which in his eyes are some of the greatest in the world.
He said: “My best finish at Silverstone is fourth, which I earned in 2004 and last year, after a great charge through the field after a disappointing performance in qualifying. Although it’s a place that’s not been too kind to me, I’m really looking forward to this year’s race: we raced on the new layout last year, but this will be the first time we’ve experienced the new circuit as it’s really meant to be.
