What's at stake for Renault this weekend?

The Renault F1 Team arrives in Silverstone this weekend with a 28 point advantage over its nearest rival – a comfortable lead, perhaps, but not one that will allow them to go on the defensive. The goal for the weekend remains unchanged: victory. Indeed, this will be the 200th GP start for a Renault team, and what could be better than toasting this milestone with a little champagne?

The last race weekend in Monaco left a strong impression. The Silverstone paddock is still alive with talk of Michael Schumacher’s qualifying manoeuvre. The Reds prefer not to enter into the debate, but the press and other drivers are still digesting events. Ferrari are looking to put it all behind them with a strong run, and the team’s senior figures think they have what it takes to fight for the win – and continue chasing the championship.

McLaren also looked strong in Monaco. Kimi Raikkonen hounded Fernando during the first two stints of the race, and could have taken a front row starting spot without the infamous yellow flags in qualifying. But was their good form a product of the peculiar Monaco circuit, or a real gain in performance? Silverstone – where they have often been strong - should start to give us an answer.

Beyond Ferrari and McLaren, Honda may be able to threaten. They were strong at the start of the year before losing ground, but Button and Barrichello may be able to show what they are made of round Silverstone’s long, sweeping corners. And Toyota will be able to evaluate the TF106B on a proper circuit – this weekend will give a much better idea of what that car is really capable of.

Finally, the circuit is a different one to that the teams visited twelve months ago. With V8 engines and softer tyres, many more corners are taken flat out – indeed, 71% of the lap is now spent at full throttle. This means new set-ups, all the while combating evolving circuit conditions and unpredictable windy conditions that can disrupt the cars’ handling. Local forecasts predict temperatures of around 25° for the weekend – which should make for a spectacular event at the circuit where the World Championship first came into existence, in 1950.