Formula One / Thomas Cowie / 17 June 2009 / Leave a comment

Tom Cowie talks us through the twists and turns of the Northamptonshire circuit, Nigel Mansell's famous win in 1987 and who can come out on top this Sunday.

If you had told Jenson Button six months ago that he would be arriving at his home Grand Prix with a 26 point advantage in the Drivers Championship, he would not have believed you. But after taking his sixth win from seven starts last week in Turkey, the dream is now a reality.

After the glamour and prestige of Monaco, followed by the tailor made, ultra modern facility in Istanbul, F1 arrives at one of the most significant and historic circuits in motor sport.

Formerly a Second World War airbase, the small Northamptonshire village of Silverstone put itself on the motorsport map in 1950 when it hosted the first ever round of the newly created Formula One World Championship.

Silverstone shared hosting duties with Aintree, better known today for a different kind of horsepower, between 1955 and 1962, and then with Brands Hatch between 1964 and 1986. It has hosted all twenty two subsequent British Grand Prixs.

However, after almost six decades of F1 action, this year's race is set to be the final British Grand Prix to be held at the Northamptonshire track, with the baton being handed to the redeveloped site at Donnington from 2010 onwards.

Over the years the circuit has experienced a number of alterations, the last major one occurring in 1991. Fortunately, despite the modifications, Silverstone has retained the trademark features for which it is famed.

The cars are still thrown in to the right hander at Copse with gut-wrenching velocity. They still defy physics, effortlessly changing direction at over 120 mph through the double left - right complex at Becketts, building up to 180 mph down Hanger straight before feathering the brake pedal and turning in to the right hander at Stowe at 150mph.

Nigel Mansell won three times here, and claimed that the support of the British fans was worth a second a lap. In 1987, determined to win his home race, he made up 29 seconds in 28 laps in pursuit of his bitter rival and Williams team mate Nelson Piquet. He finally caught, and brilliantly passed the Brazilian at Stowe, in one of the most famous overtakings in Silverstone's illustrious history.

Lewis Hamilton's drive in the wet here last year belied his young age, and made his more experienced peers look like amateurs. Whilst Felipe Massa spun five times and came home last, Hamilton won by over a minute in a performance that his own idol, Ayrton Senna, would have been proud of.

Currently at [42.0] and [38.0] in the betting to win at Silverstone respectively however, Hamilton and Massa may be destined to spend another weekend wishing they were driving a Red Bull or a Brawn.

Red Bull scored a double podium last time out in Turkey, and will be looking to keep up the momentum here. Webber beat his young teammate in Istanbul, and consequently finds himself at a respectable [11.5] to win on Sunday.

Vettel remains the stronger of the two at [6.6] and will be hoping for the British weather to do him a favour - his wet weather skills may be enough to eclipse the small performance advantage that Brawn still enjoy.

The Brawn boys certainly won't be worried about rain however. Last year, the dreadful conditions gave Barrichello the opportunity to demonstrate his wet weather prowess by dragging the usually uncompetitive Honda on to the podium.

An ant - stall mechanism wrecked his race in Turkey, but Silverstone is a happy hunting ground for the Brazilian, and he is the third favourite at [9.4].

At [1.96], the market suggests that Button is very much the man to beat. A British driver winning the last Grand Prix to be held at Silverstone would certainly be an appropriate final chapter in the circuits' F1 history. A fairytale ending it may be, but if anyone should believe in fairytales, it's Jenson Button.