F1 returns to one of its historic venues, as Silverstone plays proud host to the ninth round of the 2014 season. The Northamptonshire track's 48th championship race will be held this weekend, in the depths of the British countryside, meaning weather will play a large part in proceedings. The lush green surroundings should see some fast racing, a titanic battle for the win, and plenty of packed grandstands. Many drivers and teams are located close to the track, meaning the pressure is on to do well in front of fanatical home crowds.

Event schedule

The might of Mercedes has been rocked just a little over the past couple of race weekends. Canada was the first time they've been beaten to a win this year, whilst Austria saw both drivers outqualified by Williams. The Silverstone track is a little different to those that have gone before, faster, more challenging, and likely to play back into the hands of the Silver Arrows.

Nevertheless, there's plenty to look out for as the fight between Hamilton and Rosberg hots up, the Red Bull pair try and hold on to third, Ferrari keep a lid on their growing frustrations, and the midfield entertains with a huge battle for points. Towards the back, Caterham will be recovering from the news they've been sold by Tony Fernandes to a mysterious consortium of owners, which will likely give Marussia yet more of a boost. It's all to play for as the gates open for the Silverstone weekend.

Support racing for this event includes GP2, GP3 and Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.

Expected conditions

The long range weather forecasts aren't to be trusted when it comes to British summertime, but so far, those that have made the predictions suggest it will be sunny on Friday for practice, and then the rain will set in over the weekend for the sessions that really matter. When it comes to wet weather at Silverstone, drivers are used to driving in those conditions, but if it is changeable, that's when things can get tricky.

Track information

Once the future of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone was secured, upgrades to the track and the surrounding facilities were completed to help bring it into the modern era. Despite the shiny new buildings, there's still a rural feeling about the track, however. There have been traffic problems that marred previous races, but those that get to see the races tend to enjoy what they offer.

The high speed nature of the circuit has been tamed a little by the new Arena section but there's still enough of the original to keep the adrenaline levels high. With infamous corners such as Maggots and Beckets and Stowe, as well as the Wellington and Hangar straights, there's enough to challenge the drivers and cheer up the fans.

Circuit history

Jenson Button is the most experienced driver in F1, and has 13 Silverstone races under his belt. In spite of his many attempts, Button has never managed to finish on the podium, with his best result a couple of fourth places. Nico Rosberg won the race in 2013, which will give him confidence for the battle ahead, but teammate Lewis Hamilton will want to impress at his home track.

McLaren and Ferrari both have a good history at the circuit, although neither will be expecting to get a victory this weekend. McLaren haven't won at Silverstone since Lewis Hamilton took victory in his championship-winning year of 2008.

Tyre compounds

This weekend Pirelli have chosen the hard and medium tyres to be able to deal with the demands of the Silverstone track - high speeds and heavy loads through the corners. We're also likely to see the wet tyres at some point during the course of the sessions, with the green sidewalls on the intermediates and blue paint for the full wets.

British fans are among the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic of the year: it’s absolutely fantastic to see them out in full force, whatever the weather. And the weather is always a talking point in Silverstone of course; in the past we’ve seen everything from bright sunshine to torrential rain. As a result, the ability to make quick strategy decisions based on real-time conditions is always very important, as you can’t necessarily rely on previous data.

- Paul Hembery

Press conference schedule

Official press conferences are organised by the FIA and happen four times during the weekend. The qualifying and post race press conferences will take place after the television unilateral interviews.

Race stewards

The FIA stewarding process includes a former F1 driver to offer added insight. These stewards are overseeing the weekend's action.