One of the biggest weekends in formula 1 is almost upon us once more, and as ever the British Grand Prix looks set to offer up an enthralling mix of on-track action with its fair share of sub-plots to spice proceedings up.

Having recorded officially the best ever start to a formula 1 season, Sebastian Vettel should be odds-on favourite for the race and the Championship should already be in the bag, right? Well yes and no.

There is no doubt that the Vettel is almost of reach for the chasing pack after just eight races. The German has been well and truly in a league of his own so far in 2011, picking up six wins already and qualifying on pole in seven of the eight races.

To make matters worse, Silverstone has been a prosperous track for Red Bull over the previous two years, with Mark Webber taking the chequered flag last year (a race remembered for the Australian’s “not bad for a number two driver” radio transmission after Vettel had been controversially handed his nose cone for the race) while Vettel was victorious in 2009.

But while it may be tempting to concede to the might of Red Bull, all is not lost for the likes of Lewis Hamilton (although he did a pretty good job of that just after the European Grand Prix), Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button.

The controversial blown diffusers will be banned from the British Grand Prix onwards – and while the engine re-mapping ban that was introduced for Valencia that was meant to reduce Red Bull’s clear pace advantage proved to be something of a red herring, there is genuine hope that the clampdown on diffusers could heavily reduce the gap.

“There has been a different winner in the last eight races at Silverstone, while you have to go further back to 2000 to find the last man (David Coulthard) that was able to pick up back to back wins.”

Add into the mix the two DRS zones, Ferrari’s improvements of late and McLaren’s two British drivers desperate to impress a patriotic home crowd, and this genuinely could be one of the most explosive races of the season.

The rest of the grid will be hoping Mark Webber can up his game to help halt Vettel’s impressive run of Grand Prix wins – and after the 34-year-old described his 3^rd place at the European Grand Prix his best performance of the season to date, there is hope that the Australian could spell the end of Vettel’s dominance.

McLaren and Ferrari will also be boosted by the knowledge that there has been a different winner in the last eight races at Silverstone, while you have to go further back to 2000 to find the last man (David Coulthard) that was able to pick up back to back wins.

Hamilton in particular will take heart after Pirelli announced the hard and soft tyres will be used this weekend after the 2008 champion was able to ruthlessly exploit the disparity between the pair at the Chinese Grand Prix earlier this season. Vettel was caught on old rubber nearing the edge of the cliff, meaning Hamilton was able to inflict the first of his two defeats this season.

Three or even four stops could be a possibility at Silverstone, meaning a frantic race akin to the action in China could be in the offing. Qualifying may take a back seat again unfortunately as drivers attempt to save a set of precious soft tyres for the race, but history indicates that pole position isn’t as important as other race s on the calendar.

The history is there – the British Grand Prix remains the only race to have been present in every formula 1 world championship – while the famous corners that are perceived to be amongst the best in the world remain; however Silverstone has had something of a face lift which means drivers will be confronted with a slightly different layout from their last visit in 2010.

The creation of a new pits and paddock complex has resulted in the start-finish line being moved between Club and Abbey corners meaning a high-speed end to the lap, and if it can help deliver on its promise to ensure more over-taking manoeuvres, then the dissenting voices that have criticised the new layout will soon disappear.

For the latest news ahead of the British Grand Prix this weekend  stay tuned to formula1fancast.

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