From GMM

Caterham is targeting a major step forward for next month's British grand prix.

The former Team Lotus outfit has been disappointed so far in 2012 to have failed to step regularly into the Q2-range of midfield teams.

But in Canada last weekend, both Heikki Kovalainen and Vitaly Petrov outqualified a Toro Rosso, while the bottom-two teams Marussia and HRT have now been clearly left behind.

Photo: Caterham F1 Team

Finland's Turun Sanomat newspaper said the Tony Fernandes-led team will enjoy the first real fruits of new performance chief John Iley's contribution at the British grand prix at Silverstone early next month.

The renowned aerodynamic specialist's development package is essentially a "completely new" rear end for the car, the newspaper revealed.

Writing in the Sun newspaper, Caterham spokesman Tom Webb said Montreal was proof "we are now almost within striking distance" of Toro Rosso.

"This is obviously very good news for the whole team and gives us the sort of motivation we need to work even harder to join the midfield pack as soon as we can," he said.

The next step, he said, is Caterham's first ever championship point.

"This extraordinary season is throwing up so many surprise results that we know that once we are actually racing the likes of Toro Rosso and Williams that elusive first point might just be within grasp," Webb added.