Home heroes sure to entertain throughout 6 Hours of Silverstone

The third round of the 2018-19 FIA World Endurance Championship Super Season is almost upon us with Silverstone, the Home of British Motor Racing, this year featuring in a summer slot. 

Jenson Button in his first home race since 2016, close competition, more overtakes than you can count, and tight, on-track battles among the 34 competitors are expected in the 6 Hours of Silverstone (17-19 August). 

The outright winners of the race will lift the coveted Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy, the oldest trophy in motorsport (which has only been won once by a British driver, Anthony Davidson, since the WEC launched in 2012). 

All this, plus a packed timetable of entertainment on and off track, has been programmed for the enthusiastic and knowledgeable crowds which traditionally enjoy the world championship’s only visit to Great Britain. 

Fans will be able to see not only the WEC, but also the fourth round of the ever-popular European Le Mans Series and three races from the hotbed of junior racing talent, the FIA F3 Championship. Don’t miss a minute of the action!

A racing return home for Jenson Button

Four of the drivers in LMP1 are British, but there is only F1 World Champion carrying the famous Union flag: Jenson Button from SMP Racing.  Thousands of fans are expected to be at Silverstone to support him. The Frome, Somerset-born driver will be starting his second WEC race and, like all the drivers in the LMP1 privateer teams, Button will no doubt looking forward to the increased performance levels thanks to the recent Equivalence of Technology adjustments. SMP Racing’s BR Engineering BR1-AERs had a tough 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Russian team will be eager to chalk up its first podium of the season – of note is that the No.17 entry will feature just a two-driver line up of Sarrazin and Orudzhev.  The WEC is of course graced by two F1 World Champions this year and Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Fernando Alonso, together with Sébastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima, will be planning to build on the dominant two wins from two races achieved so far this season. The immediate fight will be taken to them by the sister Toyota TS050 HYRID, with Britain’s Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José Maria Lopez providing stern competition.

Hot competition guaranteed in LMGTE 

Get ready for some of the hottest competition in the world of endurance racing! While Porsche currently has a strong lead in the GT Manufacturers’ World Championship, there’s a long way to go in the Super Season and historically some circuits suit some chassis better than others. Every manufacturer has all to play for. Porsche’s 911 RSR is on a roll at the moment and the two Porsche GT Team entries – reverting to their more traditional liveries – will both be aiming for victory. Former GT champions Gianmaria Bruni and Richard Lietz (No. 91) are hungry for a win, while Kevin Estre and Michael Christensen (No.92) will want to keep their Le Mans success going.  Aston Martin Racing’s new Vantage starts the 6 Hours of Silverstone on home ground with a two-driver line up in each car, similar to all its rivals. Marco Sørensen and Nicki Thiim pilot the No.95 entry while Alex Lynn upholds British honour for the iconic British marque with Maxime Martin in the No.97.  AF Corse and Ferrari’s reigning GT champions James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi haven’t had the easiest start to the season in the No.51 488 GTE EVO, but home support for Calado and team mate in the No.71, Sam Bird, will raise spirits. The Ferrari team has done well at Silverstone in the past and they won’t be the only ones hoping for the hot weather to continue!  Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK’s base is just 9 miles (14 km) from Silverstone and the team has a pair of determined Brits hoping to win local pride. Harry Tincknell and Andy Priaulx from the No.67 Ford GT have had a bad start to the season in terms of results but have shown pace and performance and the results will surely come. Team mates Stefan Mücke and Olivier Pla won at Spa and are just 8 points behind the leaders so will be looking for a strong result to consolidate their position in the tables.  BMW Team MTEK continues to find its feet in the world championship and the talented line up in both BMW M8 GTEs will undoubtedly benefit from the mileage covered at Spa and Le Mans. The competition is tough, but a manufacturer with its experience and resources should not be underestimated!