Stewart Roden, the team principal at Scuderia Ecosse, is accustomed to winning, but it will be a very different man who paces the team garage at Silverstone tomorrow for the start of the international FIA GT championship.

Having won two British GT titles and stood garlanded on the podium at Le Mans with his Lothians-based team, success seemed to follow him. The year 2007 proved a nadir, therefore, for the former driver who built his family-run team from scratch. As the engines rev for today's qualifiers, it is an older but wiser Roden who will survey the opposition.

What few people realise is that tyre problems were not the only malaise afflicting Scuderia Ecosse during an uncharacteristically barren campaign last year. An internal rift was bubbling under the surface, intensifying pressure on Roden in a year in which he managed to entice Nigel Mansell out of retirement.

By the end of the campaign, legal documents were flying around as drivers Chris Niarchos and Andrew Kirkaldy split acrimoniously to form their own team, CR Scuderia.

It was a painful time for Roden, who couldn't help but feel a sense of betrayal. Today, with the waters still muddied, Roden will race against the very same men he led over the past few years.

CR Scuderia has opted for a livery almost identical to the Scottish outfit and race set-ups gleaned in West Lothian, as well as drivers, will be utilised tomorrow. But with Jamie Davies and GT expert Fabio Babini spearheading the Scottish team's charge, Roden knows where he wants to do his talking, and it's not through legal representatives.

"It was a tough year. Tough for my family and for everybody. I am not interested in the politics flying around, I want to go racing again because that is what I love doing. I don't look back. It was a kick in the teeth but, in the long run it may be for best.

"I am getting more excited now because all I want to do is beat them. I guess they will be working towards that, too. Now I have had the hindsight to look at what has been going on in the team and move it to a different level. We have moved on with the drivers. We will find out very soon who is going to win out of that."

Having been bitten badly, Roden opted to court two professional drivers in the close season with the blessing of the Pirelli factory. Pre-season tests have seen Davies and Babini tot up impressive times, but Roden knows victory also takes reliability and composure.

"Last year I learned a sore lesson in running with gentleman drivers. I have not done that this time. I am confident in Jamie and Fabio and I am concentrating our resources on one fast car at the moment.

"It is fun again. Hopefully I can keep it reliable."

Providing the Pirelli tyres are right, it might not be too long before Roden is back winning again. As for CR Scuderia, they are confident, also.

"We are as ready as we can be," said the lead driver, Kirkaldy.

Let battle commence.