MotoGP British Grand Prix Silverstone: a little history and figures

Between Great Britain and motorcycling, it is a long history that a Grand Prix exacerbates every year. But the meeting did not always take place at Silverstone. It should even have taken place in Wales for some time… But the circuit never saw the light of day! Here is a little history and figures to better understand this twelfth round on the calendar…  

It was not before 1977 that the protagonists of the Grands Prix discovered the site of Silverstone. From 1949 to 1976, the Isle of Man TT counted for the Motorcycle World Championship. For safety reasons the venue was abandoned and in 1977 the first British Grand Prix was held at the Silverstone circuit. Ten races took place there before the meeting was transferred to Donington Park in 1987. A route which served its purpose until 2009. The last race there was won by Andrea Dovizioso, then a Repsol Honda driver. Since 2010, Silverstone has once again been the venue for the British Grand Prix.

The circuit of Silverstone has changed a lot over the years. The first layout in 1948 consisted largely of three runways at a Royal Air Force air base, which were linked together. The following year, the route was changed for the first time. It was virtually unchanged until 1975.

Over the next few years, small updates were made several times, until the track was almost completely redesigned in 1990 and 1991. This layout was maintained until 2009, before another renovation major undertaking. New stands were built, the route was modified and extended by around 800 meters, to reach 5,901 kilometers, making it the longest route on the calendar.

With its long straights and its mostly fast turns, including ten on the right and seven on the left, the circuit of Silverstone is one of the fastest tracks on the calendar with an average speed of over 173 km/h, alongside Spielberg, Phillip Island and Mugello.

In 2010, MotoGP returned to Silverstone, where Jorge Lorenzo won most of the time. In 2010, 2012 and 2013 he won the British Grands Prix. He shares the honor of most reported winner with Kenny Roberts. Outraged Lorenzo, Casey Stoner, Marc Marquez, Valentino Rossi, Maverick Vinales et Andrea Dovizioso have also won the title at Silverstone this decade. Casa Particular in Viñales notably allowed Suzuki to put an end to a drought of success which had lasted for nine years.