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Thursday, 05 July 2012 12:53 |
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Page 1 of 15  Formula One driver quotes ahead of the race at the Northamptonshire circuit in England.
The Santander British Grand Prix at Silverstone is the ninth round of the 2012 Formula One World Championship.
This race is steeped in Formula 1 history, Silverstone having hosted the inaugural Formula 1 World Championship round at the beginning of the 1950 season.
The British Formula One Grand Prix is one of only two races ever present on the Formula 1 calendar. It has also been held at Aintree and Brands Hatch but Silverstone leads the way, staging the Grand Prix 45 times.
The circuit has undergone many minor revisions over the past two decades while leaving the circuit’s perimeter configuration intact. That changed in 2010 with the debut of the new ‘Arena’ layout, which introducing a new infield loop between the corners at Abbey and Brooklands.
2010’s race used the old pit and paddock complex, though for 2011 new facilities opened, moving the start-finish straight to the section of track between Club and Abbey corners.
The new layout makes the circuit longer and more technical but Silverstone retains its reputation as one of Formula 1’s power circuits, with over 60 percent of a lap completed at full throttle, and featuring some of the highest speed corners in Formula 1.
Fast changes of direction characterise the circuit. According to tyre supplier Pirelli, this is the track which places the greatest lateral load on their tyres. Copse corner is taken at speeds in excess of 290kph, generating lateral loads of 5G.
The hard and soft compound tyres have been nominated for this round of the championship but a mixed forecast means intermediate or full wet tyres may also see use during the weekend.
Last year Fernando Alonso triumphed in wet-dry conditions. He comes to Britain leading this year’s championship, having taken his second victory of 2012 last time out in Valencia. That ended a record sequence of seven different drivers winning the first seven races of the season.
The other major record the 2012 season might challenge is 1982’s total of 11 winning drivers.
2012 Santander British Grand Prix race stewards
PAUL GUTJAHR - PRESIDENT OF THE FIA HILL CLIMB COMMISSION
Paul Gutjahr started racing in the late 1960s with Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Lotus and Porsche, then March in Formula 3. In the early ‘70s he became President of the Automobile Club Berne and organised numerous events. He acted as President of the organising committee of the Swiss Grand Prix at Dijon from 1980-1982. From 1980-2005 he acted as President of the Commission Sportive Nationale de l’Automobile Club de Suisse and in 2005 he became President and board member of the Auto Sport Suisse motor sports club. Gutjahr is President of the Alliance of European Hill Climb Organisers and has been steward at various high level international competitions. He was the Formula 3000 Sporting Commissioner and has been a Formula One steward since 1995.
PAOLO LONGONI - MEMBER OF THE ITALIAN MOTOR SPORT COMMISSION (CSAI)
Paolo Longoni is a steward with more than 20 years’ experience. Milanese Longoni began his stewards’ training at his home circuit, Monza, in 1990 and was immediately ‘bitten by the bug’ of motorsport. While his early stewarding experience was based largely at Monza, since 2006 Longoni has been a national steward, officiating at rounds of the Porsche Supercup, Ferrari Challenge Championship, FIA Historic Championship, ETCC, WTCC, Formula Two and Le Mans Series events.
NIGEL MANSELL - 1992 FORMULA 1 CHAMPION, 1993 CART CHAMPION
Nigel Mansell is the FIA driver steward at the British GP. From 187 Grand Prix starts he took 32 pole positions, 31 victories and 28 other podium finishes. He raced for Team Lotus, Williams, Ferrari and McLaren, winning the FIA Formula 1 World Champion in 1992 with Williams. The following season Mansell took a sabbatical from Formula 1, racing in the CART championship. He become the first rookie to win that title and the only man to hold the Formula 1 and CART titles simultaneously. He continues to compete occasionally, most recently in endurance racing. Mansell is a four time winner of the British Grand Prix, with three of those victories at Silverstone.
2012 Santander British Grand Prix schedule of press conferences
| Date |
Time |
Guest |
| Thursday |
15h00 |
Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
Paul Di Resta (Force India)
Romain Grosjean (Lotus F1)
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
Vitaly Petrov (Caterham F1)
Bruno Senna (Williams F1) |
| Friday |
16h00 |
James Allison (Lotus F1)
Robert Fernley (Force India)
Pat Fry (Ferrari)
Mark Gillan (Williams F1)
Adrian Newey (Red Bull Racing)
Rob White (Renault Sport F1) |
| Saturday |
Post qualifying * |
Three fastest drivers from qualifying |
| Sunday |
Post race * |
First three finishing drivers |
 Picture credit FIA
F1SA.com
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