Motor Racing / British Grand Prix: Silverstone team-by-team guide

WILLIAMS-RENAULT

Damon Hill. Nationality: GB. Age: 33. Grands prix: 25. Wins: 4. Championships: 0.

David Coulthard (GB, 23). GP: 2. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

The champions are struggling to defend their titles. After dominating for two years they find themselves chasing Michael Schumacher's Benetton-Ford with a car not quite so accommodating and without their main hope for the title, Ayrton Senna. Hill is intent on justifying No 1 status and Coulthard on securing his place in Formula One.

BENETTON-FORD

Michael Schumacher (Ger, 25). GP: 45. Wins: 8. Championships: 0.

Jos Verstappen (Neth, 22). GP: 3. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

The combination of Schumacher and Benetton looks just about unbeatable and it seems that the German must tie up the title long before the end of the season. He has six wins already and threatens Nigel Mansell's record of nine in one year. The team were thoroughly prepared. Their weakness remains the second driver, Verstappen currently in for the rehabilitating J J Lehto.

FERRARI

Jean Alesi (Fr, 30). GP: 76. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

Gerhard Berger (Aut, 34). GP: 154. Wins: 8. Championships: 0.

The Italian team's consistent scoring has given them second place in the constructors' championship, though in truth they are currently less likely than Williams to challenge Benetton. John Barnard's car has been considerably revised and engine improvements are expected from the next race. Strong driver line-up, but not quite there yet.

TYRRELL-YAMAHA

Ukyo Katayama (Japan, 31). GP: 37. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

Mark Blundell (GB, 28). GP: 37. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

Harvey Postlethwaite's car and an improving Yamaha engine have put this famous team back in business this season. Katayama has been one of the surprise packages, much to Blundell's chagrin.

McLAREN-PEUGEOT

Mika Hakkinen (Fin, 25). GP: 40. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

Martin Brundle (GB, 35). GP: 122. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

The former champions are having a frustrating first season in partnership with Peugeot. Signs of promise and a good driver combination are being overshadowed by unreliability and a win still seems distant.

FOOTWORK-FORD

Christian Fittipaldi (Bra, 23). GP: 31. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

Gianni Morbidelli (It, 26). GP: 41. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

Neat car-engine package and the whole team seems to have picked up. But neither driver has enjoyed the best of luck in the races, with only one pointsscoring finish between them.

LOTUS-MUGEN HONDA

Alessandro Zanardi (It, 27). GP: 18. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

Johnny Herbert (GB, 30). GP: 54. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

The team hauled back from the brink are still toiling, but they are defiant and Herbert was again close to delivering a point last week in France. They deserve a break, perhaps tomorrow.

JORDAN-HART

Rubens Barrichello (Bra, 22). GP: 22. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

Eddie Irvine (GB, 28). GP: 6. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

Eddie Jordan's relatively small team have come up with a splendid package and they have two fast, gifted drivers. Currently fourth in the constructors' standings, immediately above McLaren.

LARROUSSE-FORD

Olivier Beretta (Fr, 24). GP: 7. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

Erik Comas (Fr, 30). GP: 51. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

Another tidy operation, good-looking car, but as yet very little to show for it all. Race reliability has been their undoing and if they can stay there they could make an impression.

MINARDI-FORD

Pierluigi Martini (It, 33). GP: 101. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

Michele Alboreto (It, 37). GP: 185. Wins: 5. Championships: 0.

The Italian team have long hovered there or thereabouts with a decent car and competitive drivers. They are much the same after joining forces with Scuderia Italia, though we hear of further alliances.

LIGIER-RENAULT

Eric Bernard (Fr, 29). GP: 38. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

Olivier Panis (Fr, 27). GP: 7. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

The French team, taken over by Flavio Briatore, will soon have a technical centre in England and can expect other changes. They need it. After a good 1993, they have no points in 1994.

SAUBER-MERCEDES

Andrea de Cesaris (It, 35). GP: 201. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Ger, 27). GP: 6. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

The team has been affected by Karl Wendlinger's accident but they, like the Austrian, are recovering and Frentzen underlined his ability with fourth place in the French Grand Prix.

SIMTEK-FORD

David Brabham (Aus, 28). GP: 15. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

Jean-Marc Gounon (Fr, 31). GP: 3. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

Determined to go on after Roland Ratzenberger's death at Imola, this new team to Formula One are emerging from their first half-season with much credit. Gounon gave them a ninth place last week, which is their best finish to date. .

PACIFIC-ILMOR

Paul Belmondo (Fr, 31). GP: 7. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

Bertrand Gachot (Bel, 31). GP: 36. Wins: 0. Championships: 0.

The other newcomers to grand prix racing are suffering the consequences of those earlier tragedies, and their limited resources have been stretched by changes to the car regulations. As a result, qualifying is proving difficult.