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Enjoying a high-profile support slot alongside the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship for the second year running, meaning the potentially decisive final race of the season will be screened live in the UK on ITV4 and in High Definition on ITV4 HD, the country's most heavily subscribed junior single-seater series is expecting a capacity 32 car grid for rounds 13 and 14.
Cullen Motorsport's Malvern, who arrived in Protyre Formula Renault BARC at the eleventh hour just prior to the start of the current campaign, has starred in his first season of ‘slicks and wings' action and the two-time McLaren Autosport BRDC Award finalist will be aiming to secure his second car racing title in as many years - having claimed British Formula Ford success in 2011.
"I'm really excited about Silverstone and really looking forward to it, I feel like I've been waiting for ages since Donington", said Malvern, "I wouldn't say I'm comfortably in the lead but it's the biggest lead anyone has had all season so that's a good start ahead of the weekend, I'd much rather be in my position than Josh's.
"We just need to do what we've been doing all season, try and take consistent points and if I can fight for wins then I will. I'm pleased to be going to a circuit I know for the final round, it'll be mega-tight though - I can't see anyone being able to get away at the front. In qualifying I can see most of the grid being covered by less than a second so it'll be who gets the most out of the new tyres."
Webster, of course, was in a similar position this time last year going into the Formula Renault BARC finale where he ultimately missed-out on the title to Dino Zamparelli (Bristol) - the latter having since gone on to become a front-runner in the FIA Formula 2 Championship.
Like Malvern, 18-year-old Webster signed-up for the 2012 campaign at the last minute when his planned graduation to Formula Renault UK 2.0 had to be changed following the postponement of the sister series. Driving for MGR Motorsport, the MSA Team UK driver has so far accrued the most victories of anyone this season - five - and was a winner at Silverstone this time last year.
Although determined to overhaul Malvern's lead, Webster knows the task awaiting him is a tough one. On overall championship totals the leader holds a 23-point cushion but when each driver discards his ‘drop score' worst result, the gap closes to 14. Webster has also received a boost ahead of the season finale after being named one of this year's McLaren Autosport BRDC Award finalists.
"I'm confident we can do a good job next weekend, I'm confident in the team, we have a good car and Matt [Mason] won at Silverstone for MGR last year so we know the package is good there", said Webster, "Testing has been good so far, we've just got to go in and give it 100 percent. I really do feel I can get the business done and I'm aiming to try and get two wins, two fastest laps.
"I don't want a repeat of last year, I don't want to be second again, but if it ends up that way we know there are things that have happened this season out of our control. With such a big grid the pressure will be on in qualifying to find some space but I'm really looking forward to it."
Sensational 32-car grid set to thrill bumper BTCC crowds
While no other driver can win the title, the battles further down the table will be just as fierce with six competitors theoretically able to finish in the coveted top three. David Wagner (Glasgow), who took his maiden victory last time out at Donington Park to become only the fourth different winner this season, currently holds third place and the MGR driver is 15 points clear of the chasing pack.
Fortec Motorsports racer Seb Morris (Marford, Wrexham), a three-time winner in his maiden year of single-seater racing, is fourth and the highest-placed of the rookie drivers but Scorpio Motorsport's impressive first-year runner Macaulay Walsh (Northampton) is only six points further behind.
Experienced Formula Renault BARC competitor Kieran Vernon (West Chiltington, West Sussex) is sixth in the championship for Hillspeed, despite missing the first three races of the season, while MGR team-mates James Fletcher (Windlesham, Surrey) and Jake Dalton (Audley, Stoke-on-Trent) in seventh and eighth respectively still have an outside chance of challenging for the series top three.
While Protyre Formula Renault BARC has enjoyed a phenomenally successful season to date, with the biggest grids of any one-make junior single-seater category in the country, at Silverstone the largest entry of the year is expected with several new faces and series returnees set to boost the grid to an outstanding 32 cars.
Among the newcomers will be Matthew Brabham, grandson of three-time Formula One Champion Sir Jack Brabham, who will be competing with Cliff Dempsey Racing as part of his prize for winning the Team USA Scholarship off the back of claiming the USF2000 title.
Qualifying for rounds 13 and 14 of the Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship will take place at 11.20 on Saturday, 6th October, with the first race of the weekend following at 16.30. On Sunday, 7th October, the final round of the season will get underway at 15.10 and will be screened live in the UK on ITV4, on ITV4 HD and with online streaming at www.itv.com/btcc
Along with headline sponsor Protyre, Formula Renault BARC is additionally supported by Michelin, The Lubricant Consultancy, Petronas Syntium and NGK Spark Plugs.
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