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2011 SANTANDER BRITISH GP
8th, 9th, 10th July, 2011
***SPOILERS***
OverviewMcLaren-Mercedes with their two British drivers at their local GP can certainly not be overlooked for the
top two steps of podium, and they won't be the only ones vying for the top steps, with RBR, Ferrari,
and Renault on the top of their game these days.
Daniel Ricciardo
is to get his first race drive in the Hispania Racing and for the remainder of
the 2011 campaign as replacement for Narain Karthikeyan.
Silverstone Circuit.
GP Number: 62nd British Grand Prix
Number of Laps: 52
Circuit Length: 5.891 km
Race Distance: 306.227 km
First Grand Prix: 1950
Grand Prix Held at Silverstone: 40
Capacity around 90000
Corners: 18 ( 10 right, 8 left )
Top Speed: 304 km/h (189 mph)
Average speed: 234 km/h (145 mph)
Pitlane loss: 19.1 s
Pitlane length: 420 m
Time at full-throttle: 64%
Time under braking: 8%
Fuel effect: 0.07 s per lap of fuel
Fuel consumption: 2.36 kg per 5 km
Tyre allocation: soft/hard
Engine demand: Medium
Tyre wear: Medium/High
Brake wear: Low
Downforce level: High
Gear changes per lap: 40
Lap Record: 1:30.874 (Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, 2010)
Google Earth Location
Latitude : 52° 4'16.86"N
Longitude : 1° 0'58.12"W
2011 Timetable (Brisbane Times.)Friday Free Practice 1 18:00
Friday Free Practice 2 22:00
Saturday Free Practice 3 19:00
Saturday Qualifying 22:00
Sunday Race 22:00 British Grand Prix HistorySilverstone hosted the very first round of the Formula 1 World Championship in 1950, a race
won by Giuseppe Farina in an Alfa Romeo. Since then the British Grand Prix has been a significant
event on the Grand Prix calendar. The race has been held at Aintree and Brands Hatch but has
resided at Silverstone permanently since 1987.
The British Grand Prix has produced some classic races over the years. In 1957 Stirling Moss
won at Aintree in a Vanwall, the first time a British driver had claimed victory in their home
race driving a British car. During the 1960s Jim Clark won the race five times with Lotus.
In 1973 Silverstone was the setting for one of the largest pile-ups in Formula 1 history, when
Jody Scheckter lost control of his McLaren and half the field were caught up in the ensuing
carnage.
1985 saw Keke Rosberg average over 160 mph for a qualifying lap at Silverstone. Such
speeds were never seen again, due to a redesign of the circuit which slowed the cars. In 1999
Michael Schumacher saw his title challenge end at Stowe corner when he broke his leg in an
accident.
The TrackSilverstone was opened as a World War Two airfield in 1943. Once the war had ended in
1945 Britain was left with a number of redundant airfields but without a major race track.
Donington Park was still a military vehicle storage depot, Brooklands had been sold off,
Crystal Palace was in a state of disrepair and Brands Hatch was still under-developed.
The Royal Automobile Club was interested in Silverstone as a potential site and approached
the Air Ministry in 1948 and a lease was arranged. At this time the centre of Silverstone
Circuit was a farm producing cereal crops and also a piggery so the RAC employed farmer
James Wilson Brown to create the first Grand Prix circuit at the site and gave him just two
months to build it.
On October 2nd, 1948, amid straw bales and ropes, Silverstone's first event took place, the
RAC Grand Prix. The crowds came in there thousands, thrilled to see the return of Grand Prix
racing after so many years of war austerity.The 3.67 mile course sent the 23 competing cars
racing round part of the perimeter track, up the two former runways and back to the
perimeter.
This layout meant cars were racing towards each other head-on until they turned
sharp left and returned to the perimeter. For this reason canvas screens were erected across
the centre of the circuit to stop the drivers being distracted whilst the spectators were not
allowed in the centre of the circuit because of the potential damage to growing crops.
The winner of the inaugural race at the Silverstone circuit was Luigi Villoresi in a Maserati,
who recorded an average speed of 72 mph to claim the first prize of ÂŁ500. A year later, after
the hazardous runways were eliminated and a chicane was inserted at Club on the full
perimeter road, Silverstone hosted a second major event in May 1949 – the Formula One Daily
Express International Trophy – virtually a second Grand Prix, won by Alberto Ascari.
Another of Silverstone's most famous classics also began in August 1949, the Daily Express
International Trophy for Formula One cars and for this meeting the Club chicane was
dispensed with and the circuit took up a shape that was to last for a quarter of a century.
It would share the British round of the series with Aintree in the 1950s, and then Brands
Hatch in the 1960s, 70s and half the 80s, before becoming the race’s sole home from 1987.
When the Formula One World Championship was started in 1950, Silverstone held the very
first round, won by Guiseppe Farina in an Alfa Romeo. In 1951 the British Racing Drivers' Club
(BRDC) was handed the lease by the RAC, and huge modifications were made. The pits were
moved to the straight between Woodcote and Copse, from the Farm straight where they had
originally been, and a short circuit was built within the larger circuit, cutting from Becketts
corner to Woodcote.
Forward in time and in 1973, Jody Scheckter spun at Woodcote, the right hander that
leads into pit straight, triggering a multiple pile up. The track had its first alteration in 25
years due to this, and they added a chicane at Woodcote for the 1975 race. Sadly one
of the best and most challenging corners in world motor racing was turned from a flat out
four wheel drift to a dicky chicane.
This was also the track that saw Clay Regazzoni give Williams their first win in 1979.
In 1987, a complex at Woodcote replaced the chicane, and that year Nigel Mansell
defeated his team-mate, Nelson Piquet in one of the tracks best races. The track
was revamped in 1991, followed by another major rebuild in 1994, and now another
circuit upgrade for 2010.
Since 1950, Britain is one of just two nations, the other being Italy, to have enjoyed an
unbroken presence on the Formula One calendar. Long may it remain.From 1955 the British Grand Prix swapped venues between Aintree and Silverstone, but with
the advent of the 1960s, Aintree fell out of favour and the race was switched between
Silverstone and Brands Hatch.
In 1971 the BRDC bought the entire 720 acre plot on which Silverstone sits and went about
redeveloping the track. New pits were built and a chicane was erected at Woodcote which
provided close finishes and great overtaking opportunities.
In 1987, with speeds at the circuit reaching astounding levels, a corner was built before
Woodcote, and in 1992 a new complex of corners was created between Farm and Woodcote.
In recent years various upgrades have been made to the track's facilities. A racing school now
exists at the circuit and with government funding a new bypass has been built, greatly
improving access to the once notoriously out-of-the-way venue.
The Old versus the New Grand Prix layout
Aerial pics.
Generally, Silverstone is a very fast track. The fast, sweeping bends after the old pit lane
require a lot of confidence from the drivers, so they tend to set-up their cars for Copse,
Becketts, Stowe and possibly the new Abbey while doing the best they can through the slow corners
at the middle of the lap.
As at any track, there is more lap time to be lost and found through the slow corners,
particularly at Club, and the final Luffield, where traction is all-important.
As a result of the slow-speed grip needed through these slower sections, the cars run slightly
more downforce than at a higher speed track, and that places an emphasis on aerodynamic efficiency.
There are several sections of the track where lack of traction will frustrate the drivers,
particularly at the exit of Club where the cars accelerate from second gear exiting Vale,
and fourth at the exit through to fifth while under severe lateral load. This makes it one
of the key corners, and now the double right handers going through Luffield.
The asphalt is quite smooth, except for a couple of bumpy sections midway through the lap.
Notably, the braking point for Vale is very bumpy so a few cars may be swapping ends early in
the weekend as drivers work out their braking points.
2011 features the brand new pit lane, and new location of the starting grid for the race alongside it.
The new pit facility was deliberately designed to be challenging for drivers, and to minimise the
amount of time spent in the pits. The entry lane branches off from the circuit on the approach to
Vale and Club – one of the slowest sections of the circuit – allowing a pitting driver to continue to
accelerate while others are forced to slow for the corner. The pit lane itself does not run parallel to
the main straight, but rather is angled at five degrees to make the corner at the entry to the pit
lane slightly faster.
Entry to Abbey has been resurfaced due to a bump on racing line.
The race will also see teams banned from using the "off-throttle blown diffuser" concept.
Previously, teams had mapped their engines to burn fuel when the driver lifted off the throttle.
This created exhaust gasses that were routed over the diffuser at the rear of the car, generating
mid-corner downforce and allowing the driver to take the corner at higher speeds. Some estimates
suggested that this allowed teams to find upwards of one second per lap.
DRS will be on Wellington Straight, contrary to the rumours of there to be two DRS zones, there's
only going to be one. The old pit straight was at one stage considered for DRS, and would have certainly
made Copse one corner to watch. Perhaps that's why it wasn't done.
The Silverstone ChaseSilverstone’s fast sweeping corners encouraged some breathtaking races, and provided a stern test of man
and machine, as Keke Rosberg’s record-breaking 160mph qualifying lap in 1985 proved. It would be 18 years
before that mark was topped anywhere in GP racing.
A little bit of trivia * Silverstone – named after the early English word for “wooded” area
* Maggots – named after Maggots Moor
* Becketts Corner & Chapel Curve – gave their names to the ruins of the Chapel of Thomas à Beckett
* Hangar Straight - named after two aircraft hangars that originally stood next to the straight
* Stowe Corner - derives from the famous Stowe School to the south of the circuit
* Club Corner - named after the RAC club in Pall Mall
* Abbey Curve - near the site of the ancient Luffield Abbey
* Woodcote - named after the location of the RAC club in Surrey
British GP trivia.*
Three teams – McLaren, Ferrari and Williams – have won 31 of the last 34 British GPs. Only Benetton in 1995 and Renault in 1983 and 2006 have broken the trio's vice-like grip on
proceedings. McLaren and Ferrari have five victories each in the last ten years. Ferrari is the
most successful team in Britain in terms of victories.
* Ferrari, Williams and McLaren all scored their maiden Grand Prix victories in Britain, in 1951,
1979 and 1981 respectively.
* Alain Prost and Jim Clark hold the joint record for British Grand Prix victories with five
apiece.
* Alain Prost, not Nigel Mansell, was the most successful driver at the British GP during the
'80s. Prost won in '83, '85 and '89, whereas Red
5 only finished first twice - in '86 and '87.
* Nigel Mansell got his first treble of a pole position, a win and a fastest lap in 1991 at the
Silverstone circuit.
* Jim Clark also holds the record for most poles, with five to Stirling Moss' four. Amazingly,
from 14 starts and despite a record 66 poles, the most successful ever F1 driver, Michael
Schumacher, has only been on pole for the British GP once, back in 2001.
* Eleven Britons have won the British Grand Prix - Stirling Moss, Peter Collins, Jim Clark,
Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, John Watson, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Johnny Herbert, David
Coulthard and Lewis Hamilton
* Four-time British Grand Prix winner Nigel Mansell retains the record of scoring the most
fastest laps during the event. He did it seven years in a row between 1986 and 1992.
Impressively, this period included both Brands Hatch and Silverstone races, with Mansell
driving for Williams, then Ferrari and then Williams again.
Some Memorable British Grand Prix Moments
1969 - Jackie Stewart and Jochen Rindt had an almighty battle for the lead at Silverstone.
The pair spent much of the race trading places, often a number of times per lap.
Unfortunately the battle was cut short when Rindt was forced to pit with a loose rear wing on
his Lotus 49. This left Stewart’s Matra MS80 with a free run to the flag.
1973 - Jody Scheckter’s colossal accident at the end of the opening lap triggered a major
rethink of the high-speed Woodcote corner. It had been the most challenging corner at
Silverstone, not to mention the site of some spectacular four-wheeled drifts, but when the
drivers returned in 1975 a chicane was in place to bring speeds down a little.
1976 - Brands Hatch played host to one of the most controversial British Grands Prix, with
James Hunt at the centre of the squabble. After a first-lap incident involving the Englishman,
the race was red-flagged with the organisers unsure if they should let Hunt’s hastily repaired
McLaren take the restart. Facing a mutiny from the home crowd they erred on the side of
caution, allowing Hunt to restart the race on his way to an eventual win. A post-race protest
from Ferrari was thrown out, but two months later, as the title chase heated up, Hunt’s win
was annulled.
1979 - Silverstone was the track that saw Clay Regazzoni give Williams their first win in
1979, when early race leader and teamate Alan Jones car suffered a failed water pump and retired
1987 - will always be remembered by F1 fans as the year that Nigel Mansell beat Williams
team-mate Nelson Piquet to win arguably the most exciting British Grand Prix in history. Mansell
by now was an established British motorsport hero and the inter-team rivalry between him and
Piquet was intense. Piquet started the race from pole position led the race from the off with Mansell
following closely behind. But on lap 35 Mansell dived into the pit lane for a tyre change in a bid to
cure a worrying vibration in his car.
Mansell assumed Piquet would also have to pit, but the Brazilian had other ideas and decided to
stay out and try to conserve his tyres and lead now was sizeable. Mansell had no option but to
charge like never before… With 17 laps to go 16.8 seconds separated the two Williams-Hondas,
but Mansell proceeded to take large chunks out of Piquet's lead – more than a second per lap –
until with five laps remaining the gap was only 1.6 seconds.
The crowd went wild as Mansell, slipstreaming Piquet down Hangar Straight with two laps to go,
jinked left and then dived right to pass Piquet into Stowe Corner. To a tumultuous reception,
Mansell went on to win the race by 1.9 seconds and then ran out of fuel on his slowing down lap,
setting off a massive track invasion by delirious British fans.
Nelson Piquet’s Williams had led for much of the afternoon, but with two laps remaining the
sister Williams of Nigel Mansell lined him up coming out of Chapel.
Cheered on by the partisan crowd, Mansell tucked up behind Piquet, feinted left and – as the
Brazilian moved to cover him – threw his car up the inside into Stowe and grabbed the lead.
1991 - Mansell demonstrated his gift for showmanship when, after a dominant win,
he stopped on the slowing down lap to offer the out-of-fuel Ayrton Senna a lift back to the
pits. An hour earlier the pair had waged a heated battle for the lead, with Mansell disabling
his rev-limiter to get the necessary power to pass Senna.
1998 - After starting on a damp track, heavy rain provided a spectacle as nearly half the
field spun off. Mika Hakkinen led until a safety car was deployed, allowing Michael Schumacher to
close up behind him in the Ferrari. Schumacher quickly took the lead at the restart and looked
set for a win until he was issued with a stop-go penalty for passing Alex Wurz under yellow
flags. However, the race stewards deliberated over the decision for too long, allowing
Schumacher to take the penalty on the very last lap and win the race in the pit lane.
1999 - Silverstone saw the Michael Schumacher suffer a first lap accident that saw him
sidelined until the penultimate race of the season with a broken leg.
2003 - It was a manic and slightly surreal grand prix that gave Rubens Barrichello the
greatest win of his career. The moment a protesting Irish priest took to the circuit, it was
clear that this wasn’t going to be a normal grand prix. The lead changed hands six times
with Cristiano da Matta heading the field for Toyota. But it was the battle between Raikkonen
and Barrichello that was the highlight of the day. The Brazilian passed Raikkonen with a
spectacular move up the inside at Bridge Corner.
Last Year's RaceThe first year of the new circuit layout, and not only that a intra-team issue when Vettel broke his front wing
and got hold of Webber's front wing, as RBR had no spares of the new design.
Vettel starts from pole on soft tyres like the rest of the top ten, with Webber leading through Copse
followed by Vettel (going out wide), Hamilton, and Kubica. Vettel reports a right rear puncture
and drops to the rear of the field. He pits and rejoins on a set of the hard tyres.
Lap 6 and Webber sets a fast lap pursued by Hamilton.
Lap 10 and Webber comes close to lapping Vettel.
Lap 18 and Webber pits changing to the harder tyres, not quite lapping his teammate.
Lap 26 and Sutil and De la Rosa make contact. Debris from this brings out the SC on lap 28.
Lap 30 and SC comes in.
Lap 36 and Vettel sees a chance to gain some points courtesy of the SC.
Lap 41 and Vettel takes P8 from Schumacher.
Lap 46 Alguiersuari spins in to the gravel on the last corner, covered by yellow flags so no SC deployed.
Lap 50 Alonso pits.
Lap 51 Vettel takes Sutil for 7th.
Final Lap, Alonso sets new fastest lap on his fresh tyres for some consolation on
his disastrous race.
Chequered flag, and Webber wins the British GP
"Not bad for a number two"
2010 Qualfying
2010 Results
Some previous results of British GPs at Siverstone.
Last 'home' victory before Lewis Hamilton in 2008..... David Coulthard won in 2000Year Driver Constructor 2010 Mark Webber Red Bull
2009 Sebastion Vettel Red Bull
2008 Lewis Hamilton McLaren
2007 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari
2006 Fernando Alonso Renault
2005 Juan Pablo Montoya McLaren-Mercedes
2004 Michael Schumacher Ferrari
2003 Rubens Barrichello Ferrari
2002 Michael Schumacher Ferrari
2001 Mika Häkkinen McLaren-Mercedes
2000 David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes
1999 David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes
1998 Michael Schumacher Ferrari
1997 Jacques Villeneuve Williams-Renault
1996 Jacques Villeneuve Williams-Renault
1995 Johnny Herbert Benetton-Renault
1994 Damon Hill Williams-Renault
1993 Alain Prost Williams-Renault
1992 Nigel Mansell Williams-Renault
1991 Nigel Mansell Williams-Renault
1990 Alain Prost Ferrari
1989 Alain Prost McLaren-Honda Silverstone
1988 Ayrton Senna McLaren-Honda Silverstone
1987 Nigel Mansell Williams-Honda Silverstone
1986 Nigel Mansell Williams-Honda Brands Hatch
1985 Alain Prost McLaren-TAG Silverstone
1984 Niki Lauda McLaren-TAG Brands Hatch
1983 Alain Prost Renault Silverstone
1982 Niki Lauda McLaren-Cosworth Brands Hatch
1981 John Watson McLaren-Cosworth Silverstone
1980 Alan Jones Williams-Cosworth Brands Hatch
1979 Clay Regazzoni Williams-Cosworth Silverstone
1978 Carlos Reutemann Ferrari Brands Hatch
1977 James Hunt McLaren-Cosworth Silverstone
1976 Niki Lauda Ferrari Brands Hatch
1975 Emerson Fittipaldi McLaren-Cosworth Silverstone
1974 Jody Scheckter Tyrrell-Cosworth Brands Hatch
1973 Peter Revson McLaren-Cosworth Silverstone
1972 Emerson Fittipaldi Lotus-Cosworth Brands Hatch
1971 Jackie Stewart Tyrrell-Cosworth Silverstone
1970 Jochen Rindt Lotus-Cosworth Brands Hatch
1969 Jackie Stewart Matra-Cosworth Silverstone
1968 Jo Siffert Lotus-Ford Brands Hatch
1967 Jim Clark Lotus-Cosworth Silverstone
1966 Jack Brabham Brabham Brands Hatch
1965 Jim Clark Lotus-Climax Silverstone
1964 Jim Clark Lotus-Climax Brands Hatch
1963 Jim Clark Lotus-Climax Silverstone
1962 Jim Clark Lotus-Climax Aintree
1961 Wolfgang von Trips Ferrari Aintree
1960 Jack Brabham Cooper-Climax Silverstone
1959 Jack Brabham Cooper-Climax Aintree
1958 Peter Collins Ferrari Silverstone
1957 Stirling Moss, Tony Brooks Vanwall Aintree
1956 Juan-Manuel Fangio Lancia-Ferrari Silverstone
1955 Stirling Moss Mercedes Aintree
1954 José Froilán González Ferrari Silverstone
1953 Alberto Ascari Ferrari Silverstone
1952 Alberto Ascari Ferrari Silverstone
1951 José Froilán González Ferrari Silverstone
1950 Giuseppe Farina Alfa Romeo Silverstone
Pre WDC British GP's.1949 Emmanuel de Graffenried Maserati Silverstone
1948 Luigi Villoresi Maserati Silverstone
1938 Tazio Nuvolari Auto Union Donington
1937 Bernd Rosemeyer Auto Union Donington
1936 Hans RĂĽesch, Richard Seaman Alfa Romeo Donington
1935 Richard Shuttleworth Alfa Romeo Donington
1927 Robert Benoist Delage Brooklands
1926 Louis Wagner,RobertSénéchal Delage Brooklands
Talking Technical:Pit Stop Schedule
1 stop Laps 32-35
2 stops 21-30, 40-45
3 stops 16-22, 32-37, 46-50
Safety CarAnother key contributor to the determination of race strategy is the likelihood of safety car
deployments, which are influenced by weather considerations, the availability of clear run-off
areas that allow racing to continue while recovery takes place and the circuit profile,
especially the character of the entry and exit into turn one at the start of the race. There
have been 7 safety car deployments in the last 11 races at Silverstone, making it the 5th most
likely race to produce a safety car period.
Tyres:Tyres are always given a hard time at a circuit which includes numerous high-speed corners,
and this means Silverstone, along with Spa and Sepang, is among the toughest tracks of the
season in tyre terms. It is a tough circuit for tyres in the sense of the layout and the track
surface, which is one of the more abrasive on the F1 list. Drivers require good stability from
their tyres to give them confidence through the high-speed turns. Good heat and wear
resistance are also desirable here.
Temperature, Pressure & HumiditySilverstone is 155m above sea level and has a relatively low pressure of 997.69hPa with a
relatively low ambient temperature of 21°C, so engine power will be average.
Ambient conditions:As a former airfield, Silverstone is inevitably exposed to the wind - and this can have a big
impact on car performance. Gusting wind alters the aerodynamic balance of the car and makes
handling unpredictable, particularly in the high-speed corners. The driver must be able to judge
the direction and strength of the wind, and adjust his driving accordingly. We have seen in 2008
during testing the implications of this when a sudden wind gust put Fisi hard into the Becketts
barriers at close to 300kph.
A selection of some quite good video clips of previous Silverstone races and incidents are all
in the F1 Multimedia thread here:
http://www.australianmotorsportforums.com.au/forum/index.php?topic=237.msg29010#msg29010Current (pre Silverstone)WDC points:Pos, Driver, Country, Team, Points
1 Sebastian Vettel German RBR-Renault 186
2 Jenson Button British McLaren-Mercedes 109
3 Mark Webber Australian RBR-Renault 109
4 Lewis Hamilton British McLaren-Mercedes 97
5 Fernando Alonso Spanish Ferrari 87
6 Felipe Massa Brazilian Ferrari 42
7 Nico Rosberg German Mercedes 32
8 Vitaly Petrov Russian Renault 31
9 Nick Heidfeld German Renault 30
10 Michael Schumacher German Mercedes 26
11 Kamui Kobayashi Japanese Sauber-Ferrari 25
12 Adrian Sutil German Force India-Mercedes 10
13 Jaime Alguersuari Spanish STR-Ferrari 8
14 Sebastien Buemi Swiss STR-Ferrari 8
15 Rubens Barrichello Brazilian Williams-Cosworth 4
16 Sergio Perez Mexican Sauber-Ferrari 2
17 Paul di Resta British Force India-Mercedes 2
18 Pedro de la Rosa Spanish Sauber-Ferrari 0
19 Jarno Trulli Italian Lotus-Renault 0
20 Vitantonio Liuzzi Italian HRT-Cosworth 0
21 Jerome d'Ambrosio Belgian Virgin-Cosworth 0
22 Heikki Kovalainen Finnish Lotus-Renault 0
23 Timo Glock German Virgin-Cosworth 0
24 Pastor Maldonado Venezuelan Williams-Cosworth 0
25 Narain Karthikeyan Indian HRT-Cosworth 0
FIA Formula 1 constructors' world championshipPosition, Team , Points
1 RBR-Renault 295
2 McLaren-Mercedes 206
3 Ferrari 129
4 Renault 61
5 Mercedes 58
6 Sauber-Ferrari 27
7 STR-Ferrari 16
8 Force India-Mercedes 12
9 Williams-Cosworth 4
10 Lotus-Renault 0
11 HRT-Cosworth 0
12 Virgin-Cosworth 0
Topic: 2011 Santander British GP (Silverstone) (Read 1281 times)
