Renault F1 Team – second home race – the British Grand Prix 2006

There is actually another huge sporting event in June where the World Championship is being fought for and you don’t even have to leave the UK! The glitz and the glamour of F1 racing hits our shores when the British Grand Prix comes to Silverstone on 9 – 11th June for the eighth race of the 19-round 2006 Championship season.

Defending World Champions, the Renault F1 Team, whose factory is actually only a few miles away from Silverstone in Enstone, Oxfordshire, has got its title defence off to an excellent start with five races already won, including a spectacular drive by Alonso from pole to pick up his fourth win of the season at last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix!

Renault F1 Team currently leads the Constructors’ Championship with 91 points, whilst Fernando Alonso sits atop the Drivers’ Championship having accumulated 64 points, a full 21 ahead of his nearest rivals. Team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella has also kicked off the 2006 season well having won the Malaysian Grand Prix and is currently joint third in the Drivers’ Championship.

Last year’s double Championship win for Renault F1 Team saw Fernando Alonso make history when he was crowned as the youngest-ever F1 World Champion, and is on course to repeat that success this year.

In 2005’s British Grand Prix, Juan Pablo Montoya’s McLaren-Mercedes took the win, closely followed by Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen.

The British Grand Prix is set to be a dramatic thriller for the 80,000 plus fans who will descend upon Silverstone, with Alonso and Fisichella ready for the challenge from

Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari which is back in form and chasing its third win this year, as well as the always fast McLaren-Mercedes’ of Juan Pablo Montoya, and his team-mate Kimi Räikkönen.

Of course whilst England’s hopes are focused on a certain other team winning big this year, the whole of Britain will be hoping their own Jenson Button will pull out all the stops to take his first-ever win at his home race for Honda, to join the exclusive group of drivers who have triumphed at the legendary circuit. The cheers will no doubt also ring out for Red Bull Racing’s David Coulthard to pull off something special too.

Whatever the outcome, the British Grand Prix looks set to be another breath-taking race! And possibly a welcome escape for the potential football widows out there who can indulge themselves by watching a bit of glamour and good-looking racing drivers instead!

If you’re not lucky enough to have tickets for Silverstone, don’t despair, you can still see all of the fast-paced glitz and excitement of the British Grand Prix on ITV (check local listings for schedules).