Tuesday, 3 July 2012


Right then, back to Blighty and the wet windswept airfield in Northamptonshire known as Silverstone for the 2012 British Grand Prix.
I suspect it’s going to be appallingly wet there this year. Not just your average summer wet but a whole mother of all that is holy, check the pocket of that otter to see just how wet it is really  ... wet. If you happen to be going this weekend I heartily suggest you take all the wet weather gear you have ever owned.
So then, who’s good in the wet ?
Well Alonso won in Malaysia when it rained mid race, the Sauber of Perez wasn’t too far behind. When it rained here last year Alonso got Ferraris one and only win of the year. So you’d think there could be another win on the cards for the Spaniard. Well maybe, maybe not. I think the Redbulls and their not illegal at all blown rear diffusers are going to be the ones hunting for the win.
The only reason Vettel didn’t win in Valencia was because of an alternator that got too hot behind a safety car. As there is unlikely to be either a safety car or any likely hood of hot weather, I doubt lightning will strike twice there.
Mercedes and Lotus, might make them work for it though, with cars that are damn quick in a straight line, if not as fast as the Redbull through the corners. Silverstone Is the sort of circuit where you need the grunt rather than the finesse, but when it’s wet the top speed doesn’t really matter, they just have to keep it pointing the right way.  
The muddy punters in the banking will mostly be cheering for the home team boys; Jenson and Lewis, and the big question will be which McLaren team will turn up, the comedy “can’t get the wheel on straight clowns” or the “slick professional lads who can do the job they’re paid to do” ?
Cocking it up once a season is human nature, getting it wrong six races out of eight is unforgivable. Points are being lost here and it’s arguable that Hamilton last more than just points because of sloppy pit work in Valencia.  Jenson needs to get at least a podium here, his season is slipping away as Lewis shows what the car is capable off.  Lewis needs to put the crash with Maldonado behind him keep the points ticking over.
As the Redbulls look to have found the answer they were all looking for regarding the exhaust venting over the diffuser, i think this mid season period is going to be about keeping up with the Vettel and Webber.

Don’t forget to update your predictions before Friday

I'm back off to Le Mans for the Classic 24 hours this weekend, so the results will be late I'm afraid,

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