A SLIPPERY rain-soaked circuit in Shanghai did Lewis Hamilton no favours in the third Formula 1 (F1) race this season. The young British world champion, who came sixth in the Chinese Grand Prix on April 19th, nonetheless praised the efforts of his McLaren team to boost the performance of his car back at their base in Woking. Workshops elsewhere in Britain were busy too: first and second places in Shanghai went to Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber of Red Bull Racing, headquartered in Milton Keynes. Jenson Button, of Brackley-based Brawn, came third. Six of the ten leading F1 teams are based in Britain.
Motor racing is a big British success story. From a motley collection of enthusiastic racers and specialist designers, a cottage industry has arisen …Â Details