With football's World Cup about to kick off, the GP2 Series approaches half-time in its 2006 campaign, with round six of the season taking place at Silverstone in support of the British Grand Prix.
After the one-off round at Monaco, this weekend sees a return to the double-header format, with races ten and eleven replacing the tight tortuous streets with one of the fastest circuits the series visits. Silverstone presents a major challenge, both physically and technically, but offers the best chance of a home this weekend, with
Lewis Hamilton on fire as he heads to his home circuit, and two other British contenders in the shape of three-time 2005 race winner Adam Carroll and debutant Mike Conway.
The new championship leader will be hoping to continue his Monaco momentum - where he took pole and a race win - in front of what is expected to be a partisan GP2 crowd - even if cheers for a win on Saturday will be mingled with those from the proposed coverage of England's first World Cup match on giant screens around the circuit. With
McLaren keeping tabs - and a tight rein - on the British youngster, expect Hamilton to be the name on most people's lips this weekend.
The man looming largest in his championship mirrors, however, has vowed to get back on track at a circuit he may well know better than the Briton. Nelson Piquet Jr has a wealth of experience at
Silverstone, having successfully campaigned in two British F3 championships, and will be hoping to take the fight to Hamilton on what is expected to be a weekend of Brazilian, rather than British, conditions. After a disappointing Monaco, Piquet finds himself ten points adrift of the ART upstart, and will be looking to redress both that and the disappointment of failing to finish either Silverstone race last year.
