Formula One has its mysteries and certain folklore, as does any other sport. In search of publicity, hence more money, Formula One bosses have made it possible for almost every country to try and have its own Grand Prix. There are a number of new circuits that feature on Formula One’s calendar today, unlike 10 years ago, when the sport had the reputation of being a European event because most of the driving was done in Europe.
The great interest shown towards Formula One abroad and the money spent on the sport, however, was the reason why venues in Europe began to plummet. Circuits in Malaysia (1999), Bahrain (2004), Turkey (2005), China (2007) and Singapore (2008) became more favourable. India is just around the corner, waiting to be included in the 2009/10 season. The losers, in this case, have been the circuits in Austria, San Marino and the US.
In this year’s season, 10 out of the 18 circuits are in Europe with the rest spread from Australia to Canada
Often referred to as the old continent, Europe, however, has something that other continents currently lack: tradition!
No matter how good the season has been for a driver, no matter how many times he has won the world championship or how many pole positions he has held, his season would be incomplete if he has not won the races on “the big four” circuits – Monaco, Monza, Spa and Silverstone, favourites among drivers and die-hard fans.
As in any folklore, the reason these four circuits are considered the “big four” is not clear. As Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport director, was quoted on Formula One website earlier this year, “Monaco is one of the great institutions in Formula One. Like Spa, Monza and Silverstone, it’s one of those circuits that have made Formula One what it is today”.
It might have to do with the fact that no one has managed to win all four in one season. Even great names like Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Sena, Alain Prost, Juan Manuel-Fangio and Jackie Stewart failed. In 1985, racing for McLaren, Prost was really close to achieving the unimaginable. He won at Monaco, Silverstone and Monza but came only third at Spa.
This year’s candidate for the big task is Britain’s young star Lewis Hamilton.
So far, he has one of the crucial ingredients to win the “big four” after finishing first at the Monaco Grand Prix on May 25. On July 6, he will have the chance to make step two in this quest and try to win the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in front of a home crowd.
From what he told BBC, it seems that Hamilton was not left partial to the legend surrounding the “big four”.
“People talk of winning the ‘big four’ – Silverstone, Monaco, Monza and Spa - but it’s more straightforward for me. I wanted to win the first race of the season and I wanted to win Monaco – both of which I did for the first time this year – and I want to win my home Grand Prix,” he said. “Those are my goals and I’m ready for the challenge at Silverstone this weekend,” he said.
If Hamilton were to win at Silverstone, it would be his second win for the season, hardly a title winning record. Indeed, he won the first race this year in Melbourne, on March 16, but it took him five more races to triumph at Monaco. Furthermore, he failed to pick up any points at the last two races in Canada and France.
Silverstone will be the ninth race of the season, but if Hamilton displays the same game plan as he did to win in Monaco, it will hardly be the day for him.
Hamilton is currently 10 points behind championship leader Ferrari’s Felipe Massa (48 points), who has won three races so far, including the last one in France. And between him and Hamilton stand BMW’s Robert Kubica (46) and reigning champion Kimi Raikkonen (43).
Besides a reliable car, good strategy and fast mechanics, Hamilton’s secret ingredient, this time, could be the home crowd and he knows it. “There’s just something about racing in your home country that definitely affects you,” he said.
Should Hamilton win on July 6, he would still be only half-way through the task that eluded Prost 23 years ago. The Belgium Grand Prix at Spa will be held on September 7 and the Italian one at Monza on September 14.
