Silverstone: Alex Premat preview

Premat ready to race on favourite circuit

Sunday, 04 June 2006 - At the moment Silverstone is my favourite circuit. I love the really quick Maggots and Becketts section it's an amazing circuit. So imagine how excited I am that it will be our next race. In 2006, I was sixth in practice, qualified fourth and finished on the podium in the first race, and fifth in the second as the grid was reversed. So I'm feeling optimistic for the weekend ahead on this very fast circuit.

Silverstone has a mix of high-speed corners, as well as three straights, where power and drag are important, and a slow speed complex towards the end of the lap. Aero efficiency is crucial while the set-up on the cars needs to be very fine-tuned. It is like being in Spa on a smaller scale. It will be good to qualify well, but grid position is not as important as in Monaco. However to get pole is an easy way to earn two good points so I will of course be pushing as hard as possible.

Monaco was the race everyone really wants to win, but there was only one race. Silverstone is quite a different challenge and we are back to the old pattern with two races and a reversed grid on race 2.

Now, after the Monaco Grand Prix, I've kept my third place in the championship, and reduced the number of points to Nelson Piquet Jr by 6 points only and I'm more than ever in the hunt for the title. It will be an exciting weekend at Silverstone.

-www.alexandrepremat.com