'Silverstone vital to title success'

McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh believes the British Grand Prix on July 11 will be a vital test for his team to gauge their chances of winning the world championship title.

Despite leading both the drivers’ and constructors’ standings, the British-based outfit have only started on pole position once this season while Red Bull have qualified quickest at every other race.

McLaren have announced some major upgrades ahead of their home Grand Prix, and Whitmarsh believes that a strong performance will boost their chances of maintaining their lead, and fend off the threat of the high-flying Red Bulls who cruised to a one-two victory at Silverstone last year.

“It is an important race for us,” said Whitmarsh.

“At a circuit like that we have to be competitive with Red Bull if we are going to be able to beat them this year. If we can be competitive there, we have a good chance to win both championships.

“It will be a big race, but it is not the end of it - whatever happens. If we beat them they will not stand still. If they beat us we are not going to stand still. I hope it will be close and certainly closer than last year.”

Whitmarsh added that a win for either of his English drivers Lewis Hamilton or Jenson Button would be the highlight of the year for McLaren.

“Silverstone has a special significance for all of us, and it would make the whole team tremendously proud if either Jenson or Lewis were able to stand atop the podium on Sunday afternoon. Such a result would be the highlight of our season so far,” he said.

Whitmarsh also pointed out that his team have only dropped ten points in the last three races, and insists they are oozing confidence and more determined than ever to win.

“As we stand at the halfway mark in the season, I’m incredibly pleased with the way the team is currently operating.

“There’s a real grit and determination at work, you can feel it when you walk in the garage. We’ve created our own internal momentum, and it’s extremely rewarding to see how everyone is pulling together for the greater good.

“In the past three races, we’ve scored 119 points from a possible maximum of 129 - an incredible statistic that tells you a lot about our hunger to fight at the front.

“It’s the way great teams work, and I’ve rarely seen the team as single-minded - from factory floor to racetrack - as it is right now.”

Hamilton, champion in 2008 and current drivers’ championship leader, said he is thriving at the thought of winning his home Grand Prix.

“After spending most of 2009 out of the hunt, I can tell that everybody is really fired up, particularly for this weekend, where we’ll be performing in front of a home crowd, and all our friends and families,” he said.

“It would be amazing to score another great result at our home race.

“To be leading the world championship going into my home race is a fantastic feeling - I know very well the effect of people-power around here - in 2007, when I got pole position, I vividly remember driving around on my slowing down lap and I could hear the noise of the crowd over the engine.”

The British driver added: “In 2008, in those terrible, wet conditions, nobody lost heart or faith, and they kept waving their flags and banners for me on every single lap.

“When you see that kind of dedication, you know you’ve got to repay it. And that’s why I go to Silverstone absolutely determined to get a great result.”