PRESSURE: The whole of Britain will expect Jenson Button to grab his seventh win in this year’s F1 championship at Silverstone on June 21.
Silverstone, one of the fastest tracks in the world of F1, an iconic circuit, a circuit synonymous with the sport itself and a track that may or may not have a future past this very showdown, is looming only 48 hours away.
One thing is certain, it will be a dramatic difference to the poor, almost empty Grand Prix in Turkey, which was simply painful to watch. Should this be the last time Formula one is staged here, the opportunity will present a majestic send off, especially if there is a British winner at the end of the day. Reigning champion Lewis Hamilton is unlikely to emerge so, but Jenson Button can make it five on the trot, seven in all, and that would be the icing on the cake for the illustrious heritage of one of F1’s most iconic tracks.
Not to mention that should the Scotsman carry on in the same devastating fashion, there is a very realistic possibility for him to obliterate Michael Schumacher’s record of 13 wins in a season.
Winner in Australia, Malaysia, Bahrain, Spain, Monaco and Turkey so far this season, England is beckoning, rather, demanding that Button do the business on Sunday. Britain expects and Button must deliver.
The brutal reality that the Northamptonshire circuit will stage this event for the last time adds a poignant tint of drama, passion and national pride, which only reinforces the value of the occasion – and that added to the mix of another English icon, Wimbledon, which commences on that same day, gives the otherwise blunt expression Super Sunday a totally new dimension. Meanwhile, Jenson’s team-mate, Rubens Barrichello has performed well at Silverstone in the past and will hope that his luck returns there.
Theoretically, he is still in with a chance of the world title if Button suddenly has a sharp change of fortunes.
FIA meanwhile, has a larger fish to fry, it what it claims are the impending measures that necessitate implementation if the sports is to survive. FIA declared on June 16, in two statements, that it will not back down in a Formula One stand-off with eight teams’ within the Fota umbrella organisation. It was quoted by the BBC that meetings this week between both parties produced no results and that the controversial budget cap for 2010 will remain in place to avoid "another financial arms race" in the sport.
Blaming Fota in various aspects of the dispute, FIA said that "good governance does not mean that Ferrari should govern". Given the uncertainty of the sport’s destiny hereafter, the unknown future of Silverstone as a circuit and the drama of the race itself, have all contributed to what has been a sell-out event for weeks as fans look forward to the arrival of the sport in the UK. Hopefully, time will defy the Silverstone doom mongers, and this will not the be the last race on this track.
David Richards, chairman of Aston Martin and Prodrive, supports FIA's decision to allow three new teams to enter from next season. Those who enter the competition, and comply with the proposed budget cap will be assisted by the commercial rights holder.
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