For motorsport fans in the UK, the British Grand Prix is the most important date on the racing calendar, and with question marks over the event's long-term future [see separate story –
click here], the 2008 edition this weekend could just be the last of a dying breed.
On the back of a brace of frustrating and ultimately fruitless outings in Montreal and Magny-Cours – failures to score that have cost him the world championship lead –
Lewis Hamilton arrives at
Silverstone with a point to prove, and a memory to efface.
This time twelve months ago, he pulled a sublime last-gasp lap out of the bag in qualifying to stick his McLaren-Mercedes on pole position around the Northants circuit by barely a tenth of a second, but a misguided strategy and poor balance in the race – the legacy of having failed to test in the week leading up to the grand prix – saw the young Briton fall back to a distant and disappointed third place at the chequered flag.
Not only has the 23-year-old made no such similar mistake a year on, but he indeed blitzed the final day of the group test at Silverstone last week, with no other driver capable of getting within seven tenths of his time, proving that he means business in no uncertain terms.
Team-mate
Heikki Kovalainen has also signalled his intent to challenge for the top step of the rostrum this weekend, having finally got his season back on-track again by charging through the pack from a penalised tenth place on the starting grid in the French Grand Prix just under a fortnight ago to cross the finish line fourth. The young Finn impressed at Silverstone last season by seeing off infinitely more experienced
Renault team-mate
Giancarlo Fisichella to collect two points for seventh position, though he will be hoping for a rather loftier result twelve months on.
