07.05.2011
,Silverstone Circuit, Towcester, Northamptonshire, UK
Inspired Performance with Sebastian Vettel
The World Champion and Infiniti Global Brand Ambassador looks ahead to Red Bull Racings home race, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Ive always loved the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. This is one of the classic race tracks of the world, an amazing place with a lot of history. Its a circuit where every young driver, no matter what nationality, wants to race.
But, for me, there is also the fact that Silverstone is very close to the headquarters of Red Bull Racing. So that makes it a home Grand Prix for us and adds even more to the sense of occasion.
Believe me, the racing at Silverstone can be incredibly exciting. Thats because one simple word describes this track fast! Its very quick indeed. The section known as the Maggots/Becketts complex, a series of high-speed left and right curves, is super-quick and presents a big challenge. Its unbelievable. The corner combinations all round the 3.6-mile track are so much fun to drive, particularly if your car is working well. That really allows you to attack and thats what we love doing.
Last year, I was able to take pole position, although things didnt work out quite so well in the race. I had a puncture on the first lap but we made a good recovery and I had a nice fight while climbing back through the field.
It gave the guys from the factory something to cheer about. Many people think that Red Bull Racing is made up mainly of the team members you see in the pits doing tyre changes. Important as they are, those mechanics and engineers are just the tip of the iceberg.
There are 525 people in total in the team, most of them working behind the scenes to help us achieve the Inspired Performance we need to win races.
Having Round 9 of the Championship at Silverstone means that the guys from the factory can actually come to the race. Its nice for them because they work so hard all year long and yet they dont really get to see the drivers or experience the special atmosphere of the racing. Of course, they watch all of our races on the TV, but it is so much more impressive when youre actually there, at the track. And Silverstone is an amazing place for spectators.
The British fans are really knowledgeable and they are very fair. I have always loved the British sense of humour, particularly some of their TV programmes, which really make me laugh. Id like to put a smile on everyones face including my own and all the guys on the team on 10 July!