British GP BAR preview

The Circuit

Race Distance - 67 Laps. 189.664 miles (305.235km)
Circuit Length - 3.195 miles (5.141km)

The wide open spaces of this former World War II airfield provide a venue where Formula One cars can really be unleashed and, as a result, Silverstone remains one of the highlights of the Grand Prix calendar. The track possesses a challenging mixture of high and low speed turns, as well as a smooth surface that is capable of generating high levels of grip. There are several particularly fast sections at Silverstone, notably through Copse, the first corner and down the following straight to Maggotts. From Chapel down the Hangar Straight, Vale to Club and the section through Bridge Corner are also extremely rapid.

The Team

The back-to-back races highlighted a poor sequence of mid-season results, which has left the team more determined than ever to get back on track for their "home" race at Silverstone this weekend. Jacques Villenueve has won twice here before (1996, 1997), while Olivier Panis is due for a change of luck at the Northampton circuit. The fact that Silverstone is the designated track for the team, based 10 miles down the road in Brackley, means it holds no surprises and expectations will be high.

Craig Pollock, Team Principal and Managing Director:
"Like all the teams, we've had to prepare for the British Grand Prix at the same time as coping with the challenge of two back-to-back races. But Silverstone is a circuit every British team wants to do well at and Lucky Strike B.A.R Honda is no exception. We've certainly pulled out all the stops; last week we were running two separate test teams in Mugello and Monza then the team went straight onto Santa Pod this Monday to put in even more preparation for the British Grand Prix. We have a strong Silverstone package so we're looking forward to the race, not least because a home Grand Prix means practically everyone from the team can be there to share in what is always a very special day."

Malcolm Oastler, Technical Director:
"We had two very positive tests last week in Monza and Mugello and I believe we have made a number of improvements. We expect that to translate into a higher level of competitiveness than we've experienced of late and since we always run well at Silverstone, we're all very optimistic that we can do well. The circuit is quite hard on tyres but Bridgestone have done a very good job race by race and have produced another new compound for the British Grand Prix. The mix of fast and slow sections means it's an exciting circuit but we have to find a good overall compromise in terms of car set-up."

-BAR