Formula One returns home this weekend where celebrations will be far and wide as the British fans will get the chance to welcome back World Champion Lewis Hamilton hoping for the same result as last season.
Hamilton won the at Silverstone last year for only the second time, but went on to secure the Drivers Championship ahead of his teammate and rival, Nico Rosberg.
It was Rosberg who won last time out in Austria and closed the gap between him and Hamilton to just 10 points so a win for either Mercedes driver this weekend is absolutely crucial.
The 5.891 km track has always been a popular event on the racing calendar and the home crowd will be praying for a British winner in Lewis Hamilton as Jenson Button and Will Stevens unlikley to cause much threat.
The high speeds of Silverstone can be an advantage for the high speeds of the Mercedes’s cars and Hamilton will be hoping to extend the gap at the top of the drivers championship on home soil.
Hamilton and Rosberg have had their differences this season, to say the least and hasn’t gone unnoticed by Mercedes boss Toto Wolf. Although the team completed a Austrian 1-2 last time out, the team rivalry is only getting stronger.
William’s impressed last time out in Austria with Felipe Massa finishing on the podium and before the season started, Williams' expectations were high after last seasons very impressive performance from Massa and Valterri Bottas. Williams were the surprise package of 2014 and have not wasted their time in the first nine rounds this time out.
Having claimed 85 points between the two of Felipe Massa and Bottas after just nine rounds last season, the pair have already aquired 149 this season - 44 points better than last year and could potentially break last years overall points record of 320.
Jenson Button will be hoping for a better outcome at Silverstone as he and his teammate Fernando Alonso witnessed an all time low with McLaren in Austria as both cars were forced to retire after just 30 laps of the race.
Rosberg has experienced victory at Silverstone before winning in 2013 but out of the remaining drivers on the grid only Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel have tasted success at Silverstone handing those, especially the pair of Raikkonen and Vettel of Ferrari a big chance of winning this weekend.
Ferrari have won more times than any other at Silverstone with 15 wins in total and the pair will fancy their chances against the Mercedes two hoping to get back in the race for the drivers constructors.
However, all eyes will be on Lewis Hamilton as he intends to improve the British winning ratio at Silverstone as the British fans have only seen a British winner top the podium 22 times in 64 races.
Driver Quotes
Fernando Alonso: "We go to Silverstone this week feeling optimistic after two good test days in Austria. It’s one of the fastest on the calendar, which also means it won’t be a circuit that will suit our car so well. I love driving the Silverstone circuit; I’ve won there twice, in 2006 and 2011, so I have very good memories."
Jenson Button: "It feels great to be heading back to Silverstone – a place I love going to every year – and it’s a real privilege to be able to race in front of my home fans. No matter what happens during a race weekend, the fan support always makes the whole event extra special."
Lewis Hamilton: "Silverstone is obviously a special race for me and the support I have there is just incredible. The British fans are the absolute best in the world and it's really humbling to see thousands of people out there cheering you on - no matter what the weather or the result."
Roberto Merhi: "It’s hard to believe we’re almost at the middle of my first season in Formula 1, but I’m really pleased with how things are going. I feel like I’ve made some pretty big steps at every race and hopefully this weekend will be another good one for me and the whole team."