F1’s Coming Home! – Join us in the Force India Fan Zone for the British Grand Prix

This weekend needs no introduction – it’s the British Grand Prix and we’re in Silverstone to support our Technical Partners Force India. The campsites are already packed with Formula One fans and on the Silverstone Circuit’s official campsite at Woodlands, the Force India Fan Zone is up an running. Across the stage from Force India car for the Pitstop Challenge, RAVENOL have brought along two of our other partners cars to join the display: a Vauxhall Adam Cup rally car and BTCC team Eurotech’s Honda Civic Type R – complete with our favourite driver Jack Goff who will be on stage on Friday from 7:15 pm and hanging around for an autograph session afterwards! Fans can also see interviews from Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez, as well as enjoy live music from the legendary Eddy Jordan’s band.

Over at the track the garages and hospitality units are set up and ready for the weekend, but we’re more interested in what’s going on on the tarmac of F1 calendar’s most iconic circuit – Silverstone: the Home of Formula One.

Silverstone is one of the longest tracks in the F1 calendar and has the perfect mix of fast and slow corners, long and short straights – perfect for the fans who pack every inch of the perimeter but difficult for the drivers who need confidence to attack the corners, and the teams regarding set up. This year may throw up one less challenge though – I don’t think we’ll see any sudden downpours for a change!

Overtaking is possible on the long straights and fast, wide corners, but it’s risky and we are statistically likely to see a Safety Car at Silverstone, even if just to recover an over-enthusiastic driver from one of the wide gravel traps. But it’s a track all the drivers know well, and everyone wants to impress here in front of the massive crowds from all over the world.

We caught up with Force India’s Driver’s Eye to find out how Esteban and Checo are feeling about returning to Silverstone for their team’s home race:

“Silverstone is a very special weekend for our team,” told them. “It’s the only race in which we get to see all the team members, their families and so many guests: a lot of people that sometimes we only see once a year. For us, this brings so much extra motivation. It’s a race where we want to do especially well and I hope we get a result to celebrate properly across the road, at HQ.

“The track itself is great and I love racing at Silverstone. It’s such a fluid and fast layout and you really enjoy a Formula One car at its best on this track. It’s a wonderful feeling. Overtaking is difficult, but it’s possible. There are a few places where you can make a move: a few big braking zones, such as turn five.”

His team mate Esteban agreed, “It’s fantastic to be racing in Britain.”

“The track itself is legendary. It’s a quick circuit with a lot of high-speed corners and it is a very challenging place where the driver can make the difference. I really enjoy driving there. This year the track has been resurfaced so this will be a new element with which everyone will need to deal.

“Overtaking at Silverstone is not easy. Turns five and six are probably the best opportunities. Maggots and Becketts are also great to drive and the straight immediately afterwards means you can get an overtaking chance if you’re quick through those corners. You also have to keep an eye on the weather, but this week it looks like it’s going to be very hot. I was actually hoping for some rain to mix things up a little!

So if you’re not already excited, come on down to the Woodlands Fan Zone on Friday and join RAVENOL in hearing from our favourite drivers Checo, Esteban, and of course BTCC’s Jack Goff. The Formula One weekend starts here!