Formula 1 Events

THE Brackley-based Honda F1 Racing Team and Silverstone’s Force India team will be blasting away from the starting grid as the 2008 FIA Formula 1 World Championship starts this weekend.
As the field prepares for the opening round of the season in Australia, all eyes are on the anticipated battle for overall race honours. Ferrari, McLaren and Renault are expected to set the early pace, with their lead drivers Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso particular stand-outs, but for readers of the Advertiser & Review, interest centres on cars competing in the midfield region.

Brackley-based Honda F1 Racing Team will be represented on-track this season by Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, while Silverstone’s Force India will have Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil in their Ferrari-powered cars.

The local grid has been further boosted by the news that Anthony Davidson will again drive for Super Aguri, the Brackley resident confirmed as a driver for the Oxfordshire-based team following news of a cash injection to the underfunded outfit earlier this week by a British company.

Formula 1 caught the imagination last season with Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso’s battle for championship glory.

In the end, both missed out on the World Championship title, with Kimi Raikkonen and Ferrari appearing under the radar to snatch a sensational end-of-season title.

Jenson Button, Brackley-based Honda’s lead driver, said, "The 2008 season offers so much potential for the sport.

"We have a fantastic new race tracks to look forward to in Singap
ore and Valencia, and in Singapore we will be racing under floodlights.

"Formula 1 in the dark will be very exciting for everyone involved, and I think it is fair to say that 2008 will be a great year."

Giancarlo Fisichella is looking forward to his maiden season with Silverstone’s Force India, saying, "Force India are very keen to move up the grid this year.

"We have given ourselves some stiff challenges for the season ahead, and I look forward to scoring my first Force India point sooner rather than later."

# The British Grand Prix may still be four months away, but excitement surrounding Silverstone’s big race is already growing. Circuit chiefs have reported a boost in ticket sales ahead of the ‘08 campaign, and hopes are high for a sell-out crowd come the big race in July.