F1: British GP Preview

Nico Rosberg celebrates his British GP victory last season.

During the 2014 race season, AutoRacing1.com columnist Brian Carroccio will preview all Formula 1 and IndyCar races. Below, is Brian's preview for this weekend’s 2014 Formula 1 Santander British Grand Prix. Enjoy!

A Few Quick Facts

Round 9 of the 2014 Formula One World Championship will take place this weekend at the famous Silverstone Circuit adjacent to the Northamptonshire villages of Whittlebury and Silverstone. The track, which sits on the site of a World War II Royal Air Force bomber station, hosted its first British Grand Prix in 1948. After some years rotating with other tracks such as Brands Hatch and Donington Park, Silverstone has been the home of the British Grand Prix every year since 1987.

The circuit underwent a redesign prior to the 2011 British Grand Prix, extending its length from 3.19 miles to 3.66 miles. Silverstone is contractually set to host the British Grand Prix through 2026.

Who runs well at Silverstone?

Fernando Alonso has won twice at Silverstone. Here, he celebrates his 2011 victory.

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso is the only two-time winner in this year’s field, having won for Ferrari in 2011 and Renault in 2006. The Spaniard is also a three-time pole winner, has finished second three times and third once.

Alonso’s Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen won the 2007 race en route to the World Championship. Raikkonen also finished third twice in his McLaren days.

World Championship leader Nico Rosberg won last year’s race and finished third in 2010. Rosberg’s teammate Lewis Hamilton won in 2008. Hamilton also sat on pole in 2007 and 2013, finished second in 2010 and third in 2007.

Defending World Champion Sebastian Vettel won the 2009 race. Vettel also won pole in 2009 and 2010, finished second to Alonso in 2011, and third in 2012.

No one else in this year’s field has recorded a podium finish at Silverstone.

Silverstone has not been kind to Jenson Button.

Is there anyone with a particularly unexceptional record at Silverstone?

Jenson Button.

The 2009 World Champion’s best finish in his home Grand Prix was a fourth in 2010. He has five finishes of tenth or worse, and three retirements. Given Button's record at Silverstone, it doesn't seem that McLaren's less-than-spectacular 2014 season will turn this weekend.

Kimi Raikkonen has been getting his clock cleaned by teammate Alonso.

What are the most intriguing storylines coming into the weekend?

I feel like I repeat this every week. However, to me, the dominant theme of 2014 has been and remains the intra-team battles at the top-three teams in the Constructors’ standings: Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.

As for Mercedes, Rosberg has had the better of Hamilton in each of the last three Grand Prix in both the race and qualifying. The German is brimming with confidence right now, as the notoriously mercurial Brit seems to be scuffling.

Hamilton will undoubtedly have the support of the home crowd this weekend. Of course, ticket sales have reportedly been very good this year, likely in part because of Hamilton’s strong early season form. Still, if Hamilton wants to capture a second world title, he cannot continue giving ground to Rosberg.

At Red Bull, newcomer Daniel Ricciardo has had the better of four-time defending World Champ Vettel. However, Vettel sits a mere 23 points behind the Australian in the standings. The German has three retirements already, but one has to think a breakout performance could be imminent.

As for Ferrari, this has simply been a one-sided affair. Alonso has a 60 point advantage over the 2007 World Champion, and there’s little to indicate the ruthless Spaniard will let the moody Finn off the mat anytime soon.

Anything else to keep an eye on?

Felipe Massa won pole in Austria. Can Williams take the next step and capture a home victory?

Williams.

The storied team has captured 10 victories in the British Grand Prix, but none since 1997, when Jacques Villeneuve took the win en route to the World Championship.

With Felipe Massa winning pole and Valtteri Bottas qualifying second, Williams swept the front row at the Austrian Grand Prix. Can they parlay that qualifying pace into strong race results? At the very least, the Grove-based outfit will enjoy some strong local support.

So who captures the victory?

Brian C. likes Nico Rosberg to win.

Rosberg.

Although it’s tempting to select Hamilton in his home Grand Prix, Rosberg is full of confidence right now. And given Hamilton’s seemingly fragile psyche of late, one has to wonder whether the support of the home crowd will be a help or a hindrance to the Brit.

While I generally rate Hamilton as the quicker of the two, right now the battle seems to be going on between the ears. And if that’s the case, I’ll take the German.

Brian Carroccio is a columnist for AutoRacing1.com. He can be contacted at BrianC@AutoRacing1.com.