The fourth round of the GP3 Series season takes place at Silverstone this weekend in support of the British Grand Prix, with seven young British drivers eager to impress on home soil.
Between them they make up nearly a quarter of the grid, and with five of them having stepped on the podium in the past three races, there is a strong chance of the Union Jack flying above the podium after the two races this weekend.
In fact, Valencia saw a bit of a British invasion around the Spanish port. In qualifying on Saturday morning, Scotland's Lewis Williamson bagged pole position, with compatriots Dean Smith and Adrian Quaife-Hobbs completing the top three.
Quaife-Hobbs would take a comfortable maiden win in race one after getting a blinding start, while in race two it was another Brit – James Calado – who led from pole position to also take his maiden win.
Both Quaife-Hobbs and Calado have arrived at Silverstone hoping for a repeat result, together with Alexander Sims (who won in Turkey), Williamson, Smith, Nick Yelloly and Luciano Bacheta.
Sims, 23, born in London, lies fourth in the drivers' standings at present. After winning at the season opener in Istanbul, the Status Grand Prix driver suffered a double retirement at Barcelona due to two opening lap incidents. A second place in race two in Valencia kept him within ten points of the points lead. He will hope to repeat the kind of form at Silverstone that saw him dominate the mid-season test at Valencia's Ricardo Tormo circuit.
Tied with Sims on 16 points is Calado, 22, from Worcestershire. Backed by the Racing Steps Foundation and racing for reigning champion team ART, Calado finished runner-up in last year's British F3 Championship – his first year in the category. He finished second in Barcelona prior to his Valencia win.
Calado and Quaife-Hobbs arrive on home turf off the back of their maiden GP3 wins in Valencia. Photo Credit: Drew Gibson/GP3 Media Service
Quaife-Hobbs lies seventh in the standings, on 11 points. The 20-year-old from Kent is racing for the Manor team for the second consecutive season. He recently conducted an aero test for the sister Virgin Racing F1 team. He endured a difficult opening two rounds of the season, scoring no points, prior to his victory last time out.
Williamson is tied with Quaife-Hobbs on 11 points. The 21-year-old Highlander won the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award, after finishing runner-up in Formula Renault UK. Driving for MW Arden, he too struggled for results at the beginning of the season, but his pole position and podium in Valencia brought him to the front.
Smith also has 11 points. The 23-year-old Wolverhampton racer finished seventh in last year's GP3 standings. A lack of funding has meant he is on a race-by-race deal with Addax, but that hasn't prevented him from performing. He has scored four points finishes, including one podium, but could have got more points in Valencia without a little bad luck. He was concerned that he wouldn't be able to race at Silverstone, but he will get the chance to race in front of his home crowd.
Yelloly will be chasing his first GP3 points at Silverstone. The 20-year-old from Stafford is racing for the Atech CRS team after stepping up from Formula Renault. He narrowly missed out on his first point in the first race at Valencia when he came across the line in ninth.
Bacheta is also aiming for a maiden points finish at Silverstone. The 21-year-old Essex driver is racing for Mucke in his rookie year in the category, scoring a best finish of tenth at Valencia. Previously he raced in the Formula Renault Eurocup, ending 2010 as the series runner-up.
17-year-old Kiwi Mitch Evans took the lead of the drivers' standings in Valencia after a poor weekend for previous leader Nigel Melker. Both will have to resist the Brit pack to leave Silverstone at the head of the classification.
Two free practice sessions will be held on Friday at 11:45 and 15:50. Qualifying begins at 8:45 on Saturday morning, with Race One taking place at 16:20. Race Two takes place at 8:20 on Sunday morning.
