Category: MotoGp

Championship contender Valentino Rossi took a stunning podium at the British GP despite the track having proved a tough one for the 9-time champion in the past. Taking back 3 points from Marc Marquez’ (Repsol Honda Team) title lead and beating the Spaniard to the rostrum, the duel between the two was a stunner as the Italian made his 250th start in the premier class – and became the first to reach that milestone. Maverick Viñales may have been untouchable at the front in the UK, but Rossi was the only title contender to gain at Silverstone – and the next stop for the MotoGP paddock swaps the difficult newer track for the comforts of home.

Misano is Rossi’s heartland. Although Mugello is the track the Italian considers his spiritual home, the Movistar Yamaha rider’s hometown of Tavullia lies incredibly close to Misano Adriatico and the track that bears the name of his late friend Marco Simoncelli. With the glittering blue of the Adriatic just a stone’s throw from the shores of the circuit, 2015 was a sell out as the yellow smoke rose above the grandstands and MotoGP roared back into town. A classic place to race, the ‘Doctor’ took wins at his closest track to home in 2008 and 2009 in his most recent world championship winning campaigns, and returned to the top step in 2014 as title favourite Marquez made his first mistake of the year. 2016 has had its ups and downs for Rossi – but not in his pace, and he’ll be hoping to make more gains with the home crowd behind him to the end.

Although Misano could sometimes prove synonymous with Valentino Rossi, the Italian track is also a home race for mythical manufacturer Ducati. The British GP may have been more tough than the Borgo Panigale factory expected, with a P6 for Andrea Dovizioso and a crash for Andrea Iannone, but the taste of their Austrian GP victory and 1-2 finish will still be fresh in memory as the paddock touches down on the Riviera di Rimini. The Desmosedici is now a true threat at the front, and the team also count on having recently completed a private test at the track to help them get back in the mix for victory. The home crowd will be behind the Iannone and Dovizioso, as Misano World Circuit is painted both yellow and red.

Marquez, after battling hard with Rossi and then eventual P2 finisher Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda), was just off the podium in the UK but is still an incredible 50 points clear of Rossi at the top of the table – and took the most recent premier class win at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. Marquez’ Silverstone was not the smooth ride he’s come to pull off more often than not in 2016, instead proving a tyre-preserving trip through to the last third of the race followed by a signature, spectacular dogfight. With a 53 point lead going into the event, the British GP saw the Repsol Honda rider let loose a little as he fought with Rossi and then Crutchlow, taking more risks than he has often seemed willing to do this season. With one small mistake seeing him miss the podium, the 2013 and 2014 champion nevertheless left the UK showdown with a 50 point lead safe and sound – and only 6 races remain. The rider from Cervera took a P2 in his rookie appearance in Misano in 2013, before falling out of contention with his first error of his record-breaking 2014 campaign. Marquez was on the top step once again in mixed conditions in 2015 however, and with 50 points to cushion the risk will be looking to make a point behind enemy lines. As will compatriot Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP).

Since he moved up to MotoGP in 2008, Lorenzo has kept his name pencilled on the trophy on the Riviera di Rimini. With Silverstone proving a tough race after a setup gamble that didn’t pay off, Lorenzo will want to hit back quickly in Misano as the points gap between him and teammate Rossi grew slightly once again. The ‘Spartan”s record in Italy makes for incredible reading, and Misano is another ‘Lorenzo track’ like Mugello that the Mallorcan will be hoping to conquer. Three P2 finishes in his first three seasons in the premier class prefaced a run of 3 wins at the second Italian venue on the calendar, and the Spaniard took another P2 in 2014 despite a tough start to the season. 2015 saw a blip as a mistake saw him crash out in the wet, but Lorenzo has finished in the top two positions at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli every time he has taken the chequered flag.

Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa’s fortunes in the British GP proved a contrast to rival Lorenzo’s. After struggling to find the right direction with the bike and tyres following so many off-season changes in the premier class, Pedrosa had found cooler and wet conditions particularly tough – until Silverstone. Putting in the work on the dry track on Friday, the time on the circuit proved fruitful as the 3-time world champion got back in the battle at the front and showed much improved pace in qualifying and the race, despite the conditions. Pedrosa has five podiums at Misano, too – including a win – and will want to keep refining his progress as he pushes forward to take back P4 in the championship from Silverstone victor Maverick Viñales.

Viñales was spectacular in the British GP. With the cooler conditions helping the Suzuki, the 2013 Moto3 world champion simply took off at the front and never looked back, putting in a performance as close to perfection as his team could have dreamed. The victory was the first for the Japanese manufacturer since 2007 and the first in the dry since 2000, making Silverstone a historic moment for both man and machine. With his first win under his belt, Viñales will now only want more – and knows with increasing certainty exactly how to get it.

There are now six races remaining in 2016 and a maximum of 150 points left on the table. A 50 point advantage leaves Marquez in a great position at the top of the standings, but the battle to catch the championship leader most certainly rages on – with Rossi in hot pursuit as MotoGP heads back behind the yellow curtain.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

CrewOnTwo
MotoGP

September 7, 2016

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Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

MotoGP has revisited Austria in 2016 and with a whole host of circuits lined up for 2017, it’s hard to not be excited by the sports’ future. However, in this article, I will be going to ten countries all over the world that would benefit massively from having a MotoGP round, even if they don’t currently have racing facilities! This is a pure speculation article about how the country would benefit and what it would do to the sport! Enjoy!

Naypyidaw, Myanmar (Burma)

Unique. Extraordinary. Bizarre. Just three words that could be used to describe the rather ominous city of Naypyidaw, Myanmar’s brand new (literally) capital city. Having been freed of the strict military regime, this country is rapidly on the up, both in terms of tourism and economic growth. The city replaced Rangoon (now Yangon) as capital in 2005, when the military decided to build a brand new city. However, this phenomenon is remarkable compared to any other city in the world. It is completely derelict. 20 lane highways are empty; 800 brand new hotels with no one in them; shops are open just like they are in the UK and USA, just with no people going in them.

I have recently booked a holiday to see this sensational city. However, with its massive roads lying lifeless and Myanmar’s massive scooter population, sometime in the future will these empty streets and hotels be packed with bikes and bike fans alike from across the planet? Would it be an idea to host a race here? Motorbikes are hugely popular and like many other Asian countries, MotoGP is one of its main sports but there is no race here. What better way to showcase your country’s talents by proposing a race in a championship that is watched by millions, and is still going from strength to strength each race.

Naypyidaw could finally benefit from tourism once a year, which would then lead on to promoting the rest of the country. MotoGP could target a potentially massive market, encouraging more people to get involved in the sport. This is purely speculation, but it might just be an option.

Beirut, Lebanon

Nestled in the mountains of Western Asia, Lebanon is laid next to the beautiful Mediterranean. It is straight in at number one country of all time. However, ‘beautiful’ may be the last word you would expect me to describe Lebanon as. Blitzed by war through the 80s, 90s and even in the mid-naughties, the glamour of the Middle East went up in a cloud of desert dust. The scenes that were born unto our television screens were appalling. Lifeless bodies and limbless children, scattered across the former jewel in the crown of the French. Holes are still in buildings in the country today; a sombre reminder of what this country went through to become what it has blossomed into thus far. The Cedar on the flag of Lebanon represents resilience and strength; both of which ooze from the same pavements people gave their lives up on.

Now though, the city of Beirut is once again proving why it has been known for many years as the “Paris of the Middle East”. With over 800 rooftop nightclubs, endless restaurants and sublime five star hotels, there really is no other city like it on earth. Towering above it all is the shell-ridden Holiday Inn Beirut, which was shut after a mere two years of business as the Lebanese fought terrorist group Hezbollah for control. However, this could all be set to change.

Beirut is fast becoming the tourist hotspot it was in the 50s. Famed for its 24-hour lifestyle and the sophistication that accompanies it, it is a building site once more; this time however, it’s not because a bomb decimated a building. It’s because people love Beirut. The World’s tallest building is currently being built there and is set to reach a staggering 1215m when it is finished. ‘The Cedar Project’ which was proposed in 2009 looks like it will happen again, with new investors wanting to create the £8billion floating Cedar tree just off Beirut’s glamourous Zaitunay Bay.

On top of all this is the number one ‘New 7 wonders of the World’ – Jeita Grotto, located around 10 miles north of the Lebanese capital. Stunning caves that are over 120 metres from top to bottom, it is hard to think of a better country to host a world class MotoGP race in. The economy of Lebanon is prosperous; the government is democratic and stable and the money is swarming in from all over the world. The average wage for a Beiruti is over £55,000. The only thing putting off a circuit construction is the geographical location of the country; to the East, war torn Syria lays in heaps of rubble and streets of blood.

Another reason why Lebanon should become a motorsport nation is because it’s been recognised before. In 1999, plans went through to host a F1 race for 2005 and 2006, but as so often is the case, politics got in the way. In other words, Lebanon was yet again targeted by neighbouring Israel. However, now in the downtown area of Beirut, there is the Grand Prix of Beirut, where the streets are shut for amateurs to have a go around the city. As well as this, Red Bull F1 went there to do some stunts. So maybe, Beirut will be on the calendar in the not so distant future.

But why should the best city in the world for three years running (2009, 2010 and 2011) have to suffer for something out of their hands? Let’s go to Lebanon; lets meet the most hospitable people on Earth and let’s try something new. Beirut: The World’s most iconic city, dragged through terror and shining to the world.

Kotor, Montenegro

“Where” I hear you ask. Montenegro is a European country next to Croatia and Albania in the south and Bosnia and Herzogovina and Serbia in the north. Kotor (not it’s capital) is a city in the centre of Montenegro overlooking a bay, something that you expect to see only in films. One of the most picturesque places on Earth, it is hard not to consider it as a holiday destination. But why would MotoGP consider Montenegro?

It is a politically and financially stable country, meaning that not only is it safe but it also has a potential to help invest in a multi-million-pound facility. It also has desire to host MotoGP. In 2006, Sports Klub bought official rights to show MotoGP live in Montenegro and Macedonia, and is also home to many of the PR stunts from Moto2 teams, such as the Sportsmillions outfit, and the Idemitsu Kalex team.

A country that is gradually getting more involved in the sport and one that is on the up, Montenegro might not be very appealing now, but in the future we could finally see a return to this area of Balkan Europe.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

MotoGP has hardly touched the Caribbean market. It is rapidly becoming a major holiday destination. San Juan, the capital city, is one of incredible surroundings, but also one of big business. In fact, in 2014, Puerto Rico was home to more than 10% of the Moto3 teams and riders’ personal sponsors. This shows that it is a country that is on the up, and in neighbouring Dominican Republic, MotoGP is fairly popular. I have a feeling that with a growing interest and the whole fact that it is a very different country to the ones currently in MotoGP, it may be one for the future.

Shanghai, China

In 2005, MotoGP arrived in China, only to leave three years later. I find it absolutely incredible that one of the most important countries in the world doesn’t hold a MotoGP or World Superbike round for that matter.

The track itself wasn’t hugely popular by fans or riders, but it was a circuit that gave China something to cheer about and it also gave MotoGP strong roots in Far East Asia. Now the track is home to only F1, and that isn’t something to shout about all the time.

If MotoGP was to return to China, then surely it would be to Shanghai, where the circuit has already been tried and tested. It’s a circuit with some great straights and corners, and one which offers a lot of shoulder to shoulder racing.

Oslo, Norway

With coverage of MotoGP extending to Norway recently on VIASAT, it might be an idea to invest in the Scandinavian country as a host to the series. With a big following of motorsport fans from Rallying all the way through to MotoGP, Norway’s tourism and economy might be big beneficiaries of a race in the country.

With Norway also being outside the European Union, it might encourage other countries who aren’t part of it to get involved in the sport, however, the British GP will still go ahead despite Brexit. Norway has had only one or two riders in its history, but that might all change in the future. Like I said at the start, this is purely speculation of what countries would and should host a race.

However, it looks almost certain that if MotoGP does go to Scandinavia, then it will be to Finland and the under-construction Kymi Ring.

South Africa

It may well be returning in a few years at Kyalami, but at the moment South Africa is suffering from a major motorcycle drought. No WSBK, no MotoGP, and with only their National Superbike series being shown on TV, it may be a big opportunity for MotoGP to revisit one of the best countries in the world.

This, coincided with the success of Brad Binder, might just be a big winner for not only the country but for the MotoGP paddock. Last visited in 2004 at the Welkom Phakisa Freeway circuit, South Africa is crying out for MotoGP or WSBK to return!

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE)

It has hosted F1 since 2009, and now it is hosting other series and making its way in the four wheeled world, but not in MotoGP. In fact, it hasn’t even been mentioned as a future circuit or country to host a round.

With its incredible skyline and powerful wealth, without doubt there is potential for MotoGP to move to the “Westernised” part of the Middle East.

There is a lot of money, and a lot of oil in this part of the world and it could prove crucial if MotoGP was to go to the UAE. Whether it will or not, we will just have to wait and see.

Baku, Azerbaijan

Baku has been in something of a building boom for the last five years. With the construction of the Fairmont Hotel or the ‘Flame Towers’ and Azerbaijan hosting the Eurovision song contest, it’s fair to say that Baku has been well and truly placed on the map of places to go.

This year, it hosted a round on the F1 calendar, albeit under the ‘Grand Prix of Europe’ banner. So, does this mean that maybe in the next five years we will see MotoGP head to Azerbaijan? Azerbaijan may only be 67th in terms of GDP, but its development rate is competing with Belgrade in Serbia. The future looks promising and if a race was to be put there, then it would just add to the glamour already in MotoGP.

Asuncion, Paraguay

South America has been craving a big return to MotoGP or WSBK for a long time now, and where else but to start somewhere different. Paraguay is landlocked between Brazil, Bolivia and Argentina but despite not having any attractive beaches, it still has a regularly good amount of tourism. With the four-wheeled world expanding all over South America, it is time MotoGP did too.

With Yonny Hernandez putting not only his country Colombia on the map but in fact the whole of South America, Paraguay would be a pretty good country to start in. A prospering, cultural capital city and political stability are key to attracting investment, something that Paraguay has. Could it be a hotspot for MotoGP fans in the future?

Andrea Dovizioso took the chequered flag in sixth place today at the end of the British Grand Prix, round 12 of the MotoGP World Championship which was held at Silverstone. The Italian, who started from row 4, made a great charge through the field to catch the leading group, but had to settle for sixth place due to increasing stiffness in his right forearm, which prevented him from pushing hard in the final stages of the race.

A crash on the other hand brought an end to Andrea Iannone’s race, after the Italian, who had started from row 3, moved into second place after getting the better of Pedrosa, Marquez, Crutchlow and Rossi. Unfortunately the Ducati Team rider also suffered a similar physical problem to his team-mate and a crash on lap 14 put an end to his superb run.

The British GP was held in cloudy weather conditions but on a dry surface, with air and track temperatures of 18°. The race was halted on the opening lap because of a crash involving Loris Baz and Pol Espargarò and it was then restarted and run over 19 laps.

Andrea Dovizioso: I feel bad for the team

“After powering away well at the first start, I wasn’t able to repeat it the second time around and was left a little bit behind, so I lost touch with the leading group. I had to push hard to try and close the gap, but I wasn’t able to ride well: half-way through I began to have a problem with my right forearm and from that moment onwards my race turned into an ordeal. I feel bad for the team, today we could surely have got a better result, but I was just unable to push hard enough. I almost crashed a number of times just trying to stay in sixth place, because I was struggling to keep the bike under control. It was a pity, because judging by the pace of the guys in front of me, we could have had a chance of fighting for second place.”

Andrea Iannone: This situation is difficult to accept

“I’m very disappointed because I was having a great race and we surely had a chance to finish on the podium. Unfortunately just before the mid-point of the race, I began to have fatigue in my right forearm and I was no longer able to control the bike perfectly, which caused me a lot of problems. I really had to struggle a lot, but I didn’t want to stop because for me this situation was difficult to accept. When I arrived at turn 17 on the fourteenth lap, I was late in changing direction, hit a bump and crashed because I just didn’t have the strength to control the bike. It’s a real shame, because today we could have scored a very good result”.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa took fourth and fifth place, respectively, in today’s British Grand Prix. As has been the case at many of this year’s GPs, the weekend was affected by mixed weather conditions, making tyre choice very difficult.

After the race was red-flagged on lap one due to a nasty crash involving Loris Baz and Pol Espargaro, Maverick Viñales took the lead on the restart while Marc slotted into second position, leading a group that included Valentino Rossi, Cal Crutchlow, Andrea Iannone and Pedrosa. After five laps Marc, Rossi, Crutchlow and Iannone started a long fight for the runner-up position, swapping places several times. Pedrosa, who had made a positive step forward with the setup of his RC213V, closely trailed them.

Iannone crashed out of the race on lap 13, leaving Crutchlow in second. Rossi and Marquez engaged in thrilling battle behind him, with the Repsol Honda rider eventually able to pull a gap and start chasing the Briton. The subsequent duel ended with Marc running wide at turn seven on the penultimate lap and re-joining the race in fifth, then overtaking Dani on the last lap to finish fourth.

The MotoGP paddock now heads to Misano for round 13 of the Championship, with Marc leading the standings on 210 points, 50 clear of Rossi and 64 ahead of Lorenzo. Dani is fifth with 120 points. Honda is actually also leading both the Constructor and Team World Championship Classifications.

Marquez: Perhaps we got the front tyre wrong

“Today was one of those difficult Sundays because there were many ways of approaching the race, with many options for both the front and rear tyres. Perhaps we got it wrong with the front, because we chose the soft tyre, but that was what we thought was best before the race. I realised the mistake once the race was underway, and from there I decided to make the most of the situation. It’s a pity that I went wide under braking when fighting for second place, but in the end we rectified the situation quite well. We finished fourth and only lost three points from our overall advantage, which is what matters to us.”

Pedrosa: We had a decent race

“Overall it was a challenging weekend because of the track conditions. It has always been cold, sometimes with rain included, and we’ve never had any sun. It was hard to get a good feel for the tyres because there was no rubber laid down on the asphalt. I chose the soft-soft combination and I knew that I would have some issues in the final laps, but all in all I think it was the best choice at the moment. The good news is we’ve taken a step forward in terms of results and have regained a little more confidence, especially entering the corners. There are still some things that we need to improve, but we had a decent race and set some more-reasonable times. We’ll try to take the positives from here and work on the rest for the next race.”

Kiko Giles

The weekend of the Octo British Grand Prix finishes with a ninth place conquered by Danilo Petrucci, who ends his race with determination. Scott, instead, crashes after two laps, while fighting for the Top 8, and is forced to pass under the chequered flag in the seventeenth position.

The British rider begin with a very good start and after two turns is already in fourth place. But the race is stopped immediately by the red flag for the accident, fortunately without serious consequences, that involved Baz and Pol Espargaro. In the second start Scott is not decisive but still manage to stay in the Top 10. After two laps the crash that excludes him from the GP. Redding has the merit to continue until the end also to pay a tribute to his fans.

Petrux maintains the starting position and on lap six he manages to pass Laverty. Two laps after the crash of his teammate, Danilo attacks and overtakes Miller. But the gap with Aleix Espargaro and then with Jorge Lorenzo is already too large.

Redding: It was not easy

“It is a pity. I started very well in the first race. In the second race, something has changed, I felt I had less feeling. I crashed without any warning from the bike. It can happen. I am sorry it happened here. But never give up! I continued till the end, even though it was not easy, even to thank my fans who have supported me lap by lap.”

Petrucci: I wanted to catch Jorge!

“We managed to finish in the top 10 and it is good. Finally, the circuits where I have more difficulties are finished and I am looking forward to going to Misano, a track that I see from my window. I wanted to catch Lorenzo but he was too far away. I thank the whole team for the work they have done in this GP. We have not given up, we are very united and it is great to work with them.”

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

The British weekend concluded with a top-10 placement for Aprilia. The Silverstone race had a red flag straight away in the first lap due to an accident involving Baz and Pol Espargaró. Following the quick start procedure, hostilities resumed with race distance reduced to 19 laps.
Both Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl got off to a good start when the lights went out, vying for an important placement with a good, consistent pace. However, as he engaged in battle with a few riders, Stefan was the innocent victim of contact that led to a fall, forcing him to retire.

Bautista continued his progress, battling at length with Hernandez and managing to build up a comfortable gap after overtaking him. Managing his tyre wear well, the Spanish Aprilia Racing Team Gresini rider demonstrated very consistent performance, moving into tenth place under the chequered flag. This is an encouraging result in view of the upcoming Italian round, scheduled at Misano in seven days.

Alvaro Bautista: We struggled throughout the weekend

“There was quite a bit of confusion at the first start. Fortunately, both Pol and Loris are fine. At the second start, I tried to find my pace. We struggled throughout the weekend, but I know that in duels with the other riders I would be able to improve. That is the way it was. I recovered a few positions, battling for a long time then with Hernandez. When I overtook him, I changed an electronics setting on the RS-GP to gain a few tenths and increase the gap. I was successful, thanks to the team and the mechanics who worked hard to give me the best possible bike. I am looking forward to Misano optimistically. Aprilia is on their home pitch, so I hope to give the fans a good performance”.

Stefan Bradl: Laverty caused me to crash

“I’m very disappointed because today my feeling on the bike was good. While I was fighting with some guys, Laverty gave me no space to turn, causing me to crash. All we can do is think about Misano”.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP‘s Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo fought hard battles at the Silverstone Circuit, securing third and eighth place at the British Grand Prix.

Valentino Rossi, who has been participating in the MotoGP class since its introduction in 2002, kicked off his 250th MotoGP class Grand Prix start in style. He stormed from second on the grid to grab the holeshot before tucking in behind Maverick Viñales, but his assertive start to the race was short-lived when the race was red flagged.

The opening lap to the shortened restarted race, which began at 15:54 local time, saw Rossi hold second place behind Cal Crutchlow into the first corner, but he had to let Viñales and Marc Marquez pass before the end of the first lap. With fifteen laps to go he saw the latter pull a gap on Crutchlow in third place and decided it was time to charge for the front. Within one lap the nine times World Champion passed the local rider and Marquez and focused on closing the margin of 2.4s to the race leader, but his rivals continued to threaten him from behind.

Eight laps on the Doctor came under pressure from Andrea Iannone as his rear tyre started to slide. What followed was a flurry of activity as Crutchlow and Marquez joined the fight for second place. Two laps later Rossi found himself in fifth place when he and Marquez briefly touched fairings. The Italian was quick to respond and close passes followed as they fought a heated battle, while Iannone crashed out of the race.

Rossi was unable to fend off Marquez and rode a smart end to the race, saving his tyres to seize the opportunity and take over third place when Marquez went wide. He held this podium position over the line as he rapidly approached Crutchlow in a last-lap sprint to the chequered flag, but he came just 0.583s short and wrapped up the day in third place.

Starting from ninth on the grid Lorenzo had a flying start off the line, taking seventh place into the first corner. He put his head down trying to close the gap to the front until the race was aborted due to a race incident in turn two.

He resumed his attack seamlessly during the shortened 19-lap race. Perfectly duplicating his start, he tried to progress from seventh place after the first corner, but saw Andrea Iannone put an aggressive pass on him before the end of the first lap. Lorenzo tried to follow and soon overtook Scott Redding to reclaim seventh place.

He continued his chase to the front, closing up on Dani Pedrosa and upped his pace, but lost time as he got engaged in a battle with Andrea Dovizioso for seventh place. Unable to match the pace of the Italian due to a vibrating rear tyre, he then got into battle with Aleix Espargaró, who he had to let pass. Despite the challenges, Lorenzo continued to keep his head down and later gained a position as Iannone retired from the race, to finish the race in eighth position, 19.432s from first.

The results see Rossi hold second place in the championship standings, now on 160 points, with a margin of 50 points to the championship leader. Lorenzo remains in third position, now on 146 points.

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP will now travel to San Marino for the round at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli that will take place next week.

Valentino Rossi: We knew we would struggle in the dry

For the championship these are just three points but I‘m very happy because it was a hard battle. I fought for the entire race and never gave up. Unfortunately, after eight or nine laps, I started to slide a lot on the rear, so it was very difficult to control the bike, but at the end it was very funny with Marc and Crutchlow and I‘m very happy with this podium. It was a great race and a great battle, a double battle because at the beginning of the race and also at the end it was great. I enjoyed it a lot and I‘m so happy with this podium, because I knew I had to fight from the first corner to the last to arrive in front. On the dry we weren‘t so strong. We knew we would struggle with the tyres in the second half of the race and in fact it was like this. It was a great battle with Marquez and also with Crutchlow and Iannone. I tried to the maximum and arrived on the podium. It‘s not very important for the points in the championship but very important for me and for the team. I have some black on me from Marquez‘s tyres, because we touched two or three times. The battle was good but hard, fair and I enjoyed it a lot. When you try at the end to fight for the podium, between Marquez and me, it‘s always difficult, but it was a very good battle and I want to see it on television.

Jorge Lorenzo: We couldn’t find a good set up

It‘s been a difficult weekend, because we couldn‘t find a good set-up that made me comfortable with the bike. We tried a different setting in the race that we couldn‘t test in the warm-up, so we gambled a bit on the setting and it didn‘t work. I could see the second group there in front of me but I couldn‘t catch them. All of a sudden I felt the bike was vibrating a lot, so I had to close the throttle and relieve the pace and I couldn‘t keep up the pace I had at the start of the race.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

The clouds lifted on the Silverstone circuit as Maverick Vinales stormed to his first ever premier class victory at the British Grand Prix. The Suzuki man converted his pole position by rocketing to the front on lap one, leading from then on in. Cal Crutchlow took 2nd and Valentino Rossi came home in the bronze medal position.

In a race that was action packed from the line, Vinales almost beat Rossi to turn one but the Italian held on. However, it was further down the field where the action started to take place.

Pol Espargaro and Loris Baz came together on the 180mph approach to turn 2, bringing the pair down and catapulting them through the air. Both bikes were decimated as they bounced across the track, with Loris’ machine steaming on the side of the circuit. Baz was slapped down on the track and sprawled out as the other riders took action to avoid the carnage.

Eugene Laverty was the man of the moment as he passed Valentino Rossi into 2nd place by turn 8. The red flag came out just seconds later.

Pol Espargaro was stretchered off the track and Loris Baz was being treated on the circuit for injuries.

The restart got underway and this time Rossi and Crutchlow went head to head on the run to the first turn, with the gritty Brit beating the veteran Italian. Vinales passed the pair of them by turns 8 & 9 and that was the end of the battle for the lead. Rossi, Crutchlow, Marquez, Iannone and Pedrosa were now all embedded into the battle for the podium positions.

Iannone crashed out at Luffield, ending what had been a disastrous British GP for the effervescent Italian. Rossi and Marquez then endured a head to head, similar to the controversial clash at Sepang last season. Elbow to elbow and touching for three laps, the two exchanged positons nearly 10 times.

Marc and Cal also had a few close shaves, with Woodcote corner being the closest of them all, when Cal put Marquez on the kerb as he blasted his way underneath the four-time champion. However, with two laps to go, Marquez went to make his move down at Stowe but collided with Crutchlow, ran wide and rejoined the track back in 5th.

Vinales came through Woodcote corner and took his 17th win and his first in the premier class. It was Suzuki’s first in 9 years and their first dry weather race win since 2001 and Sete Gibernau at Valencia. Crutchlow held off a sensational last lap charge from Valentino Rossi to take 2nd at his home round.

An incredible day of racing, one of which was history making. Maverick Vinales becomes the seventh different winner in MotoGP. That has never happened before in the top class. It was also the first time in 9 years that four different makes of machinery have won a race. A historic day for motorsport and a sensational finish to an action packed British Grand Prix, just who will be the next winner of a MotoGP race this season?

Misano is the next fortress to conquer and you can join us next weekend @PitCrew_Online for live commentary of the races from 10am. Follow me personally @MotoGPKiko for more bike related stuff!

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

Reigning MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo will be looking for a chnage of fortune at the British Grand Prix, after a disastrous Czech Grand Prix saw him slip to third in the standings, behind Italian teammate and arch rival, Valentino Rossi.

After a difficult last race, that saw Lorenzo having to come into the pits due to tyre problems, the Mallorcan is set on making a strong comeback this weekend at a circuit where the odds are in his favour: he holds the record for the rider with the most MotoGP wins at Silverstone. Over the last six years Lorenzo has secured three premier class victories, in 2010, 2012 and 2013, and is eager add a fourth to his tally this weekend.

“After the two back-to-back races in Austria and Brno the situation is not as we desired beforehand but we can‘t change that”, said a philosophical Jorge Lorenzo ahead of Sunday’s race.

“From now on we need to think race by race and just try to get the best results day by day. Silverstone is the next stop so we have to push at the maximum there and enjoy riding with the bike again” vowed the Spaniard, now 59 points adrift of leader Marc Marquez.

“That track is one of my favourite circuits in the world but unfortunately the weather is always very unpredictable. Let‘s see if we can deliver a great race again there”.

Lorenzo finished 4th in last years Grand Prix in tricky conditions. A 4th this season in the wet would be a great day for him.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

With just one weekend off after his third-place finish in Brno, Championship leader Marc Marquez heads to Britain aiming to once again fight for the podium at a track that he likes and that has brought him good results. Teammate Dani Pedrosa (fourth in the standings) is looking to regain his confidence and return to a more usual pace for him.

Silverstone has a rich racing heritage stretching back over 60 years and has become an iconic motorsport venue. Built on a former airfield, the 5.9 km track is the longest and one of the fastest circuits on the schedule. This is the seventh year that the MotoGP paddock will visit Silverstone since it replaced Donington Park in 2010.

Marc, who scored on British soil the first Grand Prix podium of his career at Donington Park in 2008 (125cc), has celebrated four podium finishes in six Silverstone visits, including a 125cc class victory in 2010, a MotoGP win in 2014, a second-place MotoGP result in 2013 and a third-place Moto2 showing in 2012. Dani has enjoyed two MotoGP podium finishes at Silverstone (third in 2013 and 2012).

Marquez: Weather is unpredictable

“Silverstone is a place where the weather is generally quite unpredictable, meaning that cold and rain are variables you have to be prepared to face. We’ve encountered ‘mixed conditions’ situations more than once this year, and we saw how important it is to remain focused and make the right choices. We’ll see what happens during the weekend and we’ll try to manage the situation with the same mind-set that has gotten us this far. I like the track a lot; it has a slower first section but then there’s a series of ‘esses’ where it’s possible to make the difference if you find a good setup for the bike. I’ve always enjoyed racing there and we’ll push at the maximum to get the best result possible.”

Pedrosa: The track is not easy

“My main goal at the moment is to regain some confidence and feeling and then build upon that. The work we did during the Brno post-race test gave us a few ideas and we’ll see now if we’re able to start to find some more speed in the next races. Silverstone is a challenging venue with many changes of direction that require a lot of work on the bike’s settings. Another important topic is the weather, which is often quite unpredictable, and that also makes it demanding to set up the bike, to choose tyres and so on. The morning practices and the afternoon practice often give you different feelings. The track is very fast, quite winding, and it’s not easy. Once you get going though, things get better and everything gets more flowing on race day.”

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko