British GP Stewart-Ford Barrichello Preview

A LAP OF SILVERSTONE WITH STEWART-FORD DRIVER RUBENS BARRICHELLO "I always look forward to the British Grand Prix. There are a lot of spectators and there is a fantastic atmosphere. I feel confident about getting a good result because the Stewart-Ford team does most of their testing here so we know the circuit well. Silverstone is a fast circuit and the first corner is Copse which is very fast. At the start basically everybody wants get through this corner first so there is a lot of action. It's taken in fifth gear and we reach a speed of approximately 250 kph. It's followed by Maggots where I'm almost flat in sixth gear leading to Becketts which is a quick left immediately followed by a quick right. It's a very fast corner so I change to fourth gear at around 200 kph. It's important to get as much speed as possible out of Becketts to get good speed coming onto the Hanger Straight.

Hanger Straight is quite long and leads to Stowe which is a great corner. It's a good corner to watch from because it's a good place for the cars to overtake. I take this corner in fourth gear at a speed of approximately 200 kph. I go very wide on the exit using the kerbs. Stowe is followed by Club Corner which is very tight and there is always a lot of cars spinning here. Club is a very long corner and coming into the corner I shift to second gear, using the kerb on the inside and then in the second part you speed up again and on the approach to Abbey I'm flat out again in sixth gear. Abbey I take in second or third gear depending on what ratios are used. I use the kerbs again. It's a very quick bend even if we only use second or third gear. Then it's Bridge corner which is very bumpy so you have to take extra care not to run off line. I'm flat out in fifth gear. Then you reach the part people call the Complex. The first corner is Priory. Before they changed the lay out of Silverstone I used to take this corner in second gear. It's now much faster and I take it in fourth gear at approximately 200 kph. Then there is a little straight just before Brooklands. Brooklands is very tight and taken in second gear. It's another good place to watch. Luffield is basically now just one corner and I use second gear. There is a lot of understeer coming into the last part of the corner. This is an essential corner because you have to be very quick on the exit because it helps to determine the speed you will achieve on the pit straight.