2014 BRITISH GP: ROSBERG VS HAMILTON, AND THE WINNER IS...

Although not quite as straightforward as circuits such as Montreal, Silverstone sits amongst the top circuits on the calendar in terms of overtaking opportunities. The high-speed nature of the layout means that drivers must be bold, but there are several key areas around the track which lend themselves to passing manoeuvres. There are many corners where the drivers can carry plenty of apex speed, but also take a variety of lines – both through the turn itself and on exit. This is, essentially, what leads to overtaking.

Lewis Hamilton:
"Silverstone is a track that really suits my style. It’s a seriously fast circuit and making sure you have a stable car through the high-speed corners is crucial. You’re almost flat-out through the left-handed Turn One, then switching direction into Turn Two and back once again for the tight hairpin of Turn Three. You’re hard on the brakes into here but it’s important to maintain speed through the corner and to quickly get back over to the right side of the track for Turn Four. This leads you out through Turn Five and down the first DRS straight of the lap. You’re then into to the old part of the circuit, starting with Brooklands (Turn Six) and then Luffield (Turn Seven). Luffield is quite a long corner that just seems to roll on and on, but the best feature is that you can see all the fans in the stands on the outside of the corner which is fantastic."

"Next, you’re heading down the original pit straight and into Copse (Turn Nine) which is one of the coolest corners around the track. It’s a quick downshift then back on the power, using all the available space on exit for maximum speed. The Maggotts / Becketts sequence (Turns 10 – 12) is next, which is just so fast. You need so much downforce and grip from the car to be quick through here. A good exit from Chapel (Turn 13) THEN sets you up for the second DRS zone down the Hangar straight and into Stowe corner (Turn 15). It’s quite bumpy, but you can carry a lot of speed through here – using every bit of room on exit once again."

"Finally, you’re hard on the brakes into the Vale / Club complex (Turns 16 – 18) which is quite slippery, with low grip compared to other sections of the track. It’s hard on the power across the line once again, and that’s a lap!"

Nico Rosberg:
"Silverstone is such a fantastic circuit. It’s seriously quick and watching from the outside you can really see what makes Formula One cars so special in terms of the speed, the downforce and everything else. This year, with the new Turbocharged V6 Hybrid engines, we’ll be arriving into the fast corners at higher speeds, which is even more exciting. For the fans too, there will be more sideways action thanks to the reduced downforce in the cars. It should be pretty spectacular as you see the drivers really show off their car control."

"For me, Copse (Turn Nine) is one of the toughest corners and of course Stowe (Turn 15) which comes after the Hangar straight. Both are pretty good overtaking opportunities, especially with the DRS zones, so that makes them even more of a highlight around the lap. There aren’t many heavy braking zones, so it’s all about maintaining momentum through the medium and high-speed corners. It’s a circuit that we drivers know well, as it’s been on the Formula One calendar pretty much every year in the history of the sport and also features in many of the junior racing categories."

"The thing about Silverstone, though, is it can be very unpredictable – no matter how many times you may have raced there. The weather is always changing, with wet conditions usually affecting at least one of the sessions. The wind, too, is a big factor. It can be really strong and can change direction during the weekend, so it can have a significant effect through the high-speed sections and you have to adjust your braking points for the slower corners too. It’s a great challenge and one I’m really looking forward to tackling in this car."