WARREN Hughes has backed Kimi Raikkonen to continue his pursuit of championship leader Fernando Alonso with victory in this weekend's British Grand Prix.

Hughes, a former Williams F1 team test driver, has watched with interest as the battle between McLaren ace Raikkonen and his Renault rival Alonso has intensified.

Spaniard Alonso has a 29-point lead at the head of the standings as the teams come to the UK and, disregarding an opening-day victory for Alonso's team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella and the bizarre triumph for Michael Schumacher in the US, when only six cars took part, Raikkonen is the only man who stands between him and the title.

The Finn has emerged victorious in Spain, Monaco and Canada but had to settle for second place in the French Grand Prix at Magny Cours last weekend, a penalty for using a spare engine robbing him of the chance of glory at a track that would have suited the McLaren's raw speed.

It is that characteristic, plus the British-based team's local knowledge, which Hughes believes will see Raikkonen further eat into Alonso's lead tomorrow.

"I would say the McLarens are most likely to be setting the pace," said Hughes. "Aerodynamically the car probably has the edge on the Renault and I think Raikkonen is absolutely on fire at the moment.

"McLaren have done some of their testing at Silverstone in the last couple of months and they have set absolutely blistering times around there. I think they are fairly dialled in to the circuit with the car and on current form will be hard to beat.

"If Raikkonen had not had the engine problem in France he would have been challenging Alonso for the win."

Hughes, who now drives for the LNT endurance racing team and will be at Monza this weekend, said he believes it will be nip and tuck between McLaren and Renault for the rest of the season.

"McLaren may have a little bit of an edge on the faster circuits," he said. "I think the Renaults are very good on all circuits whereas Renault have relative peaks and troughs.

"The peaks come at the high-speed circuits for McLaren - the Renault seems to be there or thereabouts just about everywhere. Some circuits will favour the Renaults, others the McLaren and I think it's between Raikkonen and Alonso.

"I don't think there is a great deal in it. I think they have strengths in different areas.

"My gut feeling is that Raikkonen has slightly more raw speed, whereas Alonso thinks about the whole thing a little bit more and probably has more input in terms of the direction of the car and pushes the team more.

"He is a little bit more like Schumacher in that respect, in terms of how he integrates with the team.

"I think Raikkonen relies on his absolute raw talent and that's the spark that motivates the team. The two are very different personalities."

Hughes believes it would be too much to ask for a British victory on home turf with BAR's Jenson Button and Red Bull driver David Coulthard having to rely on luck, rather than good judgement, for a successful afternoon.

Hughes knows Button personally and was at Williams when he first began to make a name for himself. "It was Jenson's first year. His season was a little up and down but he was showing some real promise and in one or two races he was exceptional. It was clear that given time he was going to become very good," he said.

"He had a very good style, very smooth and fluid. He let the car work for him, rather than manhandling it, and I think that's a better way to get the most out of the car."

Despite his ability, Hughes believes it unlikely that Button will be spraying champagne come the end of the race.

"I think a podium is a possibility but my feeling is that he will be relying on some of the others having problems. I think a top-six finish is more likely," he said.

"Between France and Silverstone there is not a great deal of time to do any major changes to the car and while the BAR has been quick on occasions this year, and every now and then they have got a good qualifying time out of it, I don't think they are truly on the pace in the race. Realistically, a top five or six is where they are at."

Much has been made of the Silverstone circuit and its facilities, or lack of, and at one point the event was in doubt.

But Hughes believes that would have left the sport with a massive void.

"It would be a huge shame if there was no British Grand Prix, simply because so much motorsport is based in the UK and there is a huge Formula One fanbase here," he said.

"In reality there is very little wrong with the circuit. Silverstone is being compared with the state-of-the-art, purpose-built circuits that have started from a clean piece of paper.

"But there is a certain character that a circuit like Silverstone has got.

"It's got a history and I think that's an important aspect that is often overlooked.

"Some of the new circuits are a little soulless in some ways. I am sure the drivers enjoy Silverstone because it has some hugely challenging corners.

"It is a very popular race for the drivers and the teams and it would be a shame if it was to fall by the wayside, but I don't think that will happen."

Published: 09/07/2005