07/07/2004
NEWS STORY
As the British Grand Prix fast approaches, Jaguar Racing has been hard at work in their Milton Keynes factory preparing for their home race. With Silverstone (UK) only a short drive from the team's base it makes for a very special race weekend. Since leaving Magny Cours (France) the team has been determined to turn the cars around as quickly as possible and prepare them for the last of the back to back races. For the three drivers, two of which live in the UK, the British Grand Prix is practically a home-race as the local support appears to cheer them on. This weekend the team will be chasing for points, and after their strong performance in France they know they have a car capable of scoring them.
Mark Webber: Silverstone is for me my second home race. I have lived in the UK for nearly ten years now and I know this area of the country very well. The factory is near by and we get so much support from the local people on the day that it is a great boost for us. I have raced and tested at the track on many occasions with Jaguar Racing, but since all the other teams have as well there is little advantage for us. I really enjoyed my race last weekend at Magny Cours so I am really keen to get out on track in front of the British crowd. The team has been doing a fantastic job turning everything around in time and I know that we are well prepared for this coming weekend. The only thing we are not in control of is the weather at this stage. This can change very quickly and make track conditions vary considerably. Whatever happens we are going to be working very hard over the weekend to ensure we are in the best possible position to race for a points finish. It's about time our hard work was rewarded, the car's got the pace - as my speed in France proved!
Christian Klien: These back to back races are keeping us very busy but I enjoy any opportunity to get out on track as often as possible. Although this is not my home race it is going to be as busy as it would be if I were racing in Austria. The team are very hectic here but there is going to be a lot of support for us, which is fantastic. I like Silverstone - I have raced here before and I have spent some time testing here with the team so I know the track and I feel comfortable here. After my positive race in Magny Cours I am really focused on the task ahead and I will be looking to qualify well in preparation for the race. The R5 is feeling really strong at the moment and Cosworth Racing are doing a great job with the engine so I am very much aiming for a points finish in front of the team's home crowd.
Björn Wirdheim: It's great to be back in the UK and to be at a track which is only a short drive from home. I have raced at Silverstone before and I have also tested here with the team so it is a track I know well. I am very excited about the fact that this is really my ‘home' race since we don't have an F1 race in Sweden. The track is a good challenge for us since everyone knows it so well, so you are always pushing for that extra bit. I will be supporting the team by working on tyres and set-up options on Friday. Off-track I will be helping with sponsor appearances and media events so whatever way I look at it, it is going to be busy. I am very much hoping that we can score some points at this race, first because it would be in front of a home crowd and second because the car feels very good at the moment and is very competitive in comparison to the top teams. Mark's fastest lap time during the last race was fourth fastest overall, and goes to prove the sort of progress that the team and Cosworth Racing continue to make.
David Pitchforth: Our home race is a very eventful and exciting time for the team but we remain focused on our main goal which is as always to score points. We had a very strong performance on track last weekend when we raced at Magny Cours and I am delighted with the way the team is progressing. The drivers are really starting to feel the car develop into a complete solid package that is capable of racing for points. All three drivers have been working very hard with their engineers and our test in Barcelona the week before last has also helped us to understand more about the R5. We will be very active this weekend with the team's sponsors and partners but I know that we will be as prepared as we can be before we go on track. We know Silverstone very well, although of course we will be looking to make the most of both Friday and Saturday's practice sessions ahead of Qualifying and the race. I am confident that we have both the drivers and the car that we need to move us further up the grid and I am very keen to see our cars perform on track over the weekend.
Dr Mark Gillan – Head of Vehicle Performance: We are continually developing the R5 and we are starting to see the results of this on track. France was a very strong weekend for us and the race pace of both drivers was very pleasing. Christian is as always learning very fast and his times are improving throughout the weekend. Both drivers are capable of qualifying high and fighting for points this weekend and we will be doing everything we can to ensure that the R5 is well prepared and set-up for them. The track at Silverstone is medium to high down-force and the attrition level is relatively low so we should have a good competitive race on Sunday. We have been focusing on our starts recently and these have improved following our test in Barcelona. As we know, that first corner is all-important and we are looking to hold our place if not improve it in that first stint this weekend and in all races to come. I must thank the factory for all their hard work this week since they have done an outstanding job to turn everything around in time, these back to back races do make it much harder for us all, but we have a fantastic team and some great partners who are extremely proactive.