Finnish driver Antti seeks to clinch first EcoBoost-era crown for JTRWelter and Rao go head to head in Duratec class tussle

 Antti Buri stands on the brink of realising a four-year dream next weekend (8/9 September) at Silverstone if he can do enough to clinch the Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship title. The 23-year-old heads for the home of British motorsport with a large points lead which, if maintained, will ensure him the crown ahead of the final races at Donington Park in late September.

Thanks to his eight race wins in the JTR EcoBoost Mygale, Buri has a 113-point gross advantage over his closest rival, Jamun Racings Jake Cook. When dropped scores are taken into account, Anttis lead is reduced to 70 - and there are 30 points on the table for the winner of each of the remaining six races.

Buri has already won Formula Ford titles in his native Finland but had yet to win a race in the British championship before this season. He built his championship lead in the first half of the year. Since then the pendulum has swung in favour of Jamuns exciting Argentinian driver Eric Lichtenstein, who won two of the three Nrburgring races and scored a hat-trick last time out, at Snetterton, to bring his victory tally for the year to seven.

Cook has so far this year won twice - at Oulton Park in April and in one of Zandvoorts non-championship EuroCup races - and his Jamun team-mate Luke Williams has claimed a single win, also at Oulton. The seasons other victor is Ecuadorian 17-year-old Julio Moreno, who won one of the Nrburgring races for JTR.

Two EcoBoost drivers have yet to climb to the top step of the podium: JTRs Cavan Corcoran and Cullen Motorsport rookie Ryan Cullen.

The Duratec class is as hotly contested as ever and very close as the championship nears its conclusion. Swiss-Mexican driver Fabian Welter, despite being the youngest on the grid (he does not turn 17 until October) has won the class nine times from 15 starts but hurt his title hopes by missing Julys Nrburgring rounds.

RVR Mygale driver Welters rival for the Duratec class crown is France-domiciled Brit Matt Rao, who has beaten Welter only twice this season but who profited from Fabians absence in Germany to take three class wins for the Fluid Motorsport team in his Van Diemen.

Raos Fluid team-mate, rookie Alex Drabble, claimed his maiden class victory last time out in the rain- and accident-shortened third Snetterton race, and the Hampshire youngster will be looking at Silverstone to consolidate his third place in the class points standings.

Enigmas George Blundell was another to score a first-time Duratec win at Snetterton, and the Essex lad - who has made a great comeback from his bone-breaking Spa accident - is Drabbles rival for championship third.

Transatlantic commuter Abdul Ahmed is expected at Silverstone also with his Don Hardman Automotive-prepared Duratec Ray. Abdul, 28, has yet to claim a class win but knocked on the door at Brands Hatch and Snetterton.

The Silverstone race weekend - which takes place on the 3.7-mile new Grand Prix circuit layout - gets underway with testing on Friday 7 September followed by qualifying and a race on Saturday and two further races on the Sunday.

Provisional overall championship standings1 Antti Buri (FIN/JTR)  481 points2 Jake Cook (GBR/Jamun)  3683 Eric Lichtenstein (ARG/Jamun)  3624 Julio Moreno (ECU/JTR)  3265 Cavan Corcoran (GBR/JTR)  3236 Ryan Cullen (GBR/Cullen)  220 etc

Duratec class1 Fabian Welter (MEX/RVR)  4262 Matt Rao (GBR/Fluid)  4013 Alex Drabble (GBR/Fluid)  2844 George Blundell (GBR/Enigma)  2805 Olly Rae (AUS/Enigma)  2186 Abdul Ahmed (GBR/Hardman)  169 etc

Silverstone timetableFri 7 Sep, practice lapsSat 8 Sep, 1120 qualifying; 1600 race 1Sun 9 Sep, 0955 race 2; 1740 race 3