A round-the-table discussion on Formula One and the British Grand Prix

With this weekend marking the British Grand Prix, VAVEL UK’s Formula One editor Aaron Irwin has been speaking with fellow VAVEL writers Charlie Malam and Mosope Ominiyi about the upcoming event. Discussing matters such as Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and the current state of the sport in light of the belief it’s becoming boring.

With a Brit atop the Drivers’ standings, the UK has reason to be looking to the race with pure enthusiasm, as Hamilton leads from Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg by ten points. However with seven of the ten teams on the grid being based in the UK and with ten world champions of the past being British, we have a lot to be proud of.

British Formula One World Champions

Silverstone is the host of the Grand Prix and has been since 1948, with a stint at Aintree coming in the 1950’s. This switch produced one of the greatest finishes to an F1 race ever in 1955 and it involved Mercedes pair Juan-Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss, with the latter winning by just 0.2 seconds. Are we in for a repeat 60 years on? Two Mercedes men, one a Brit?

Silverstone has been home to some memorable F1 moments, such as Nigel Mansell giving Ayrton Senna a lift to the pits in 1991 when the Brazilian’s McLaren ran out of fuel (below top). Or when a year later Mansell took the chequered flag again pandemonium broke loose as the fans flocked onto the track and the Brit barely made his way back to the pits (below bottom). Here are two writers’ views on all things Formula One.

Charlie is the Liverpool FC editor for VAVEL UK and a Formula One fan to boot, he will be attending Silverstone this weekend and will hopefully see a British win. Mosope is our Manchester City editor and like Charlie is often a Formula One contributor. Mosope is one of VAVEL’s most prolific writers.

AI: So, where better to start than with Mercedes dominating Formula One, do you feel the sport is going through a boring stint?

CM: "Yes and no. Of course, everyone loves a bit of drama, but this season is not nearly as one-sided as people expected it to be in terms of the battle between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Hamilton was supposed to run away with it, but Rosberg has done exceptionally well in recent races to keep himself in the title race and only 10 points separate the pair so there’s a lot left to come over the next 10 races. That said, it’s the fact Mercedes are still running away with things. Ferrari are the closest to them and even they’re some way off, which has left some of the races feeling a little low key recently. There’s a lot of turmoil surrounding Formula One as a whole though at the moment. There have obviously been a lot of complaints over the rules, the loss of the engine noise and then the lack of competitiveness. Things definitely need to be done to turn it around because the simple fact is that the sport is losing its audience rather alarmingly."

MO: Is the sport really going through a boring stint at the moment? Personally, I'd have to disagree. Yes, it does not have the excitement factor it did a few years back, admittedly. However it's still an intriguing spectacle because despite the dominance, many drivers perform with nothing to lose - which is exciting to watch in itself.

AI: To those who say it’s boring, what do you think Bernie Ecclestone and major players in F1 need to do to rejuvenate the sport again?

MO: "How to rejuvenate the sport? That's a very tough one. At the end of the day, F1 is a business as much as it is a sport - people want a spectacle to enjoy and you could easily argue it has not been the same over the past few years as it was in the past. Too many tweaks here and there, improvements galore which affect performance massively, have all impacted the interest in Formula 1; which at the end of the day should be flat-out racing. With that being said though, the dominance between a few drivers over the past few years only highlights the sheer quality we possess in the sport."

CM: "There’s always going to be more dominant teams and drivers. There has been all the way through the sport’s history – but there’s certainly options available to make the racing itself that more exciting. The speed is still there, but it’s certainly not as thrilling as it once was. When you hear drivers being told to “lift and coast” until the end of the race, it’s not exactly stimulating. Refuelling is a potential option, as is tyre competition, but they’re both up to debate too. Plans are being made to make cars wider by introducing larger tyres and such to help increase downforce, which will then make the cars faster, but that won’t necessarily bridge the gap between the likes of Mercedes and just about everyone else. Don’t let that take away the fantastic work the team and the drivers are doing, but some spice certainly needs to be added somehow."

AI: Have rules and penalties galore, as well as the huge financial gulf between some teams ruined the sport? McLaren’s drivers both had 25 place grid penalties in Austria, and with only 20 cars on the grid it’s not possible to take the whole penalty.

MO: "Yes, and no. I mean, rules and regulations are there to keep drivers in check, but at the same time I get the feeling it comes across as too excessive in some cases - which can heavily impact a race, with points up for grabs in each and every one."

CM: "The financial aspect is undoubtedly the biggest concern in the sport currently. Over the last year or so, there’s been a lot of questioning over why teams can’t seem to keep themselves afloat despite the fact the massive turnover the sport generates, and it’s understandable. The unequality in how money is shared amongst the teams is worrying because there is a gaping chasm between the teams at the top and everyone else, but I’m not sure how soon it’s going to be sorted. In terms of the rules, too, they’re certainly contributing to the criticism that the sport has become boring – because it’s badly hurting teams such as McLaren Honda – who have struggled with all the penalties for changing their power units. Urgent change is certainly needed, nevermind planning to make plans for change for 2017 – we need them earlier."

AI: What do you make of the Silverstone circuit? An exciting one for us viewers? Does it still hold some historical significance? Personally I feel there’s four historic races, Monaco, Spa, Monza and Silverstone.

CM: "I’m looking forward to this weekend more than ever, as it’ll be my first ever visit to Silverstone – but the track’s heritage speaks for itself. It’s a really quick circuit and we’ve had some cracking races over the years, Nigel Mansell’s 1987 drive is just one of many examples. It’s definitely one of the more exciting tracks on the calendar because it’s one of the longest, one of the fastest and it challenges the drivers and their cars to the limits. Add all that to the fact that the British fans are fantastic and it often makes for a great race weekend."

MO: "Silverstone has, and always will be, one of those landmark circuits. Not just because it holds significance in terms of the history taken place in the past few decades, but also because of the home advantage it possesses. Every British driver's dream is to win their home race, and even though the sport is not viewed as prestigious as it once was, it's still a great honour to watch. Not the most exciting of all, with Monte Carlo and a few others more exciting in my opinion as a spectacle, but it's still a great circuit."

AI: With Lewis doing so well, we should spare a thought for Jenson, what do you make of his situation at McLaren? He’s never been on the podium at Silverstone since he entered the sport in 2000.

CM: "I think we have to, yeah. He’s having a real tough time of it recently, as is Fernando Alonso. Their engines are virtually hopeless, but just about everything is going wrong for them at the minute and it’s difficult to see how they get themselves out of this rut without serious changes. This could be Button’s last ever British Grand Prix and I really hope that it’s a better weekend for him than the previous few. It’d be sad to see him go out in such a whimper."

MO: "Ah, Jenson. I remember growing up watching the sport with my dad, and he was a threat in almost every race he took part in. It's a shame, that through changes in personnel and management, he's seemed to fall from grace slightly, a stark contrast to six years ago when he won the World Championship, he's saying it'd be an 'honour' to even finish this weekend. Still a great driver, but his situation at McLaren isn't a nice one for a budding F1 enthusiast to savour."

Jenson Button's British GP Record

AI: Now we’ve had ten world champions, famous names such as Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart and Nigel Mansell to name a few, do you feel Hamilton is better than these and is Britain’s best world champion ever?

MO: "As a driver, Hamilton is a very good one. He knows his way around corners, overtakes well and is not afraid to take risks - which is exciting to watch in itself. I do not feel it's right though, regardless of his successes, to compare his driving talents to the great names of the past, as their styles of driving were different to his, in different time periods with elements attached too. He's a very good world champion, but personally, I wouldn't say he's Britain's best ever. Just yet, at least. "

CM: "He’s an absolutely phenomenal driver with heaps of natural talent. Bernie Ecclestone insisting that he’s not only the best British world champion, but the best ever F1 world champion speaks volumes. His records really do speak for themselves. More total wins than any other British driver (and only a few off his hero Ayrton Senna), more wins in one season, more poles and so on, and so on. His class really showed last season, I think. He was really up against it versus Rosberg and he did brilliantly to finish first in six of the final seven races of the season. At this rate, you’d be surprised if, when Hamilton finishes his career, he doesn’t end as the most successful ever British champion."

AI: We can’t rule it out, but do you think Nico Rosberg can spoil the party and take victory on Sunday? He won last time out in Austria thanks to a great move into turn one at the start.

MO: "Can Nico spoil the party? Of course he can! If he starts off well, and gets himself into a good position after the first few laps, there is no reason why he cannot prevail. It'd be a sweet victory over a championship rival who has enjoyed his fair share of wins over the German - also laying down a marker that the title race is far from decided, on the contrary too much media coverage."

CM: "Unfortunately, yes. He’s definitely full of momentum at the minute and Hamilton’s clutch could give him some trouble, which might open the door for Rosberg. That said, you can’t forget just how good Hamilton was in the first few races of the year, and the fact that some of Rosberg’s recent wins have been as much through Hamilton’s errors than his own quality. Hamilton, on home turf, will be keen to replicate his performance at Silverstone last year. Had Rosberg not retired then, essentially handing Hamilton the win, I think we’d have been in for a sensational wheel-to-wheel battle and hopefully that’s what we’ll have this Sunday – but with Hamilton emerging victorious."

AI: With most of the attention on Lewis or Jenson, we can’t forget about the third Brit on the grid Will Stevens of Manor, how do you see his career turning out?

MO: "Stevens is one to watch for the future. He recently turned 24, and despite claims he bought his way into F1, he has undeniable talent to fulfill. Will he become a household name for years to come? Time will tell. I think, if he ignores the inevitable pressure and criticism, he could do well for sure."

CM: "Obviously it will be his first British Grand Prix this weekend, and he’s yet to have really shown how good he can be because he’s at Manor Marussia – which is somewhat of a baptism of fire for the lad, because they’re so far behind after such a poor start. They are making some progress, as is Stevens himself, but I’m not sure we’ve seen enough from him to really predict whether he’ll have a tough time of it before dropping out (like Max Chilton) or whether he truly is a rising star. He did well as a junior so hopefully he can continue to push on, do well at Silverstone and then go on to get a finish inside the points before the end of the season, though I’m not sure how likely that is."

AI: It’s a difficult question this season, with their cars so different, but hypothetically speaking, which Brit would you rather see win on Sunday? Hamilton or Button?

MO: "Hamilton or Button.... mmmmm... I'm going to have to go with Button! Not because Lewis doesn't deserve it, I hope the best driver wins the race ultimately. However, it seems like many years ago since Jenson last won a Grand Prix, and at age 35 he's not getting any younger. Many rumours have suggested this could be his last season in the sport - and if so - what better way than to go out with a bang in his home GP?"

CM: "Don’t get me wrong, it’d be great to see Jenson Button win it because he’s had a real tough time of it lately – but I think, realistically, he’ll just be hoping to finish the race after his disappointments in Austria and Canada. That would arguably be a good weekend for him. A great one would be to finish inside the points, but McLaren are some way off a podium at the moment so it’d be an incredible upset if Button was to win. I’d prefer to see Hamilton win myself."

AI: Finally, who’s going to fill the podium on Sunday? Who’s your predictions for the top three? I’m going Hamilton, Rosberg and Massa.

CM: "I’m going to cross my fingers and say Hamilton comes first with Rosberg second to complete another one-two, and I’ll actually back Valtteri Bottas to beat Sebastian Vettel to third."

MO: "Who's going to fill the podium? Hamilton, Rosberg, Vettel, in that order. Most of which depends on how the big names fare on the first lap, which will be interesting to see how the action unfolds."

A huge thanks to Charlie and Mosope for talking to VAVEL F1, we have the race LIVE on Sunday, be sure to tune in as we bring you live updates and commentary from the British Grand Prix!