Jul.6 (GMM) Silverstone is braced for a soaking wet British grand prix, as torrential rain greeted the sunrise on the opening day of 2012 action.

Paul di Resta on Thursday had already advised his fans to pack their "rain jackets", because "it looks like they're going to get wet."

Perhaps he had read about race organisers spreading 1000 tonnes of hardcore across vulnerable roads and carparks around the Northamptonshire venue.

Or maybe he has seen the severe storm warning, or the forecast of a month's worth of rain in the space of two days.

Jenson Button is worried sodden fans will suffer through the rain during practice only to find the drivers are huddled under the cover of the pits.

"We are so limited on our tyre allocation that we are not going to run much," he told reporters on Thursday.

"We will do our best but there will not be much going on."

Sebastian Vettel agreed: "We need to find a balance between practicing enough to set up the car and evaluate the new parts but saving tyres as much as we can for qualifying and the race."

As for the spectators, the signs are not good -- already this weekend, Button has had to dig his personal motorhome out of the Silverstone mud.

"There is a hole in the field but it is ok," the McLaren driver grinned, then sparing a thought for ardent race-goers who are pitching tents in the "metre of mud".

Latest F1 News - Mobile version

26 Feb: New Ferrari not quickest in field - Domenicali 26 Feb: Red Bull still best in 2013 - Tost 26 Feb: 2014 French grand prix 'possible' - Prost 26 Feb: Danica Patrick 'not interested' in F1 switch 26 Feb: Report - Gilles Simon working on F1 engine for Honda 26 Feb: Gutierrez plays down link to Carlos Slim 26 Feb: Caterham exhaust 'legal' insists van der Garde 26 Feb: McLaren replaces Mercedes-bound Lowe 25 Feb: 'Engine maps' trouble for Red Bull, Lotus - report 25 Feb: Mercedes-bound Lowe to miss 2013 opener - report 25 Feb: Mercedes 'in group of teams' behind Red Bull - Lauda 25 Feb: Gutierrez expects Hulkenberg to beat him early in 2013 25 Feb: New Ferrari 'much better' than 2012 - Massa 25 Feb: Teams 'will adapt' to new tyre situation - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Tight rules make today's F1 cars 'the same' - Forghieri 25 Feb: Williams removes controversial exhaust trick 25 Feb: Contract 'conflicts' cause of Marussia test snub - Razia 25 Feb: Lotus to fight Red Bull for title - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Marussia 'ahead of Caterham' - Chilton 25 Feb: Sutil will not stay in F1 as test driver The latest F1 News - Mobile Version

F1 News  F1 Schedule  F1 Line-up  Constructors' Championship  Drivers' Championship  F1 Tickets  Live F1 Coverage

Full Version: Formula 1 News  Formula 1 Schedule  Formula 1 Line-up  Constructors' Championship  Drivers' Championship  Live F1 Coverage  10 'n' Pole  F1 Regulations  The Forums  Motorsport Shop  F1 Merchandise  F1 Tickets  F1 Diecast  F1 Videos  F1 Games