MotoGP Silverstone Race LIVE: Aleix Espargaro is 1st in class at Silverstone!

After this past Saturday afternoon, we are back with MotoGP on the starting grid of the Silverstone track, but this time for the British Grand Prix and all of its precious points for a title race which tightened from this start of the school year. Indeed, Alex Marquez made it happen during the English Sprint race held on a drying track. The Gresini team rider preceded Bezzecchi (Mooney) and Viñales (Aprilia) on the podium, for a leading trio entirely made up of Italian motorcycles. The rest is a tribute to the European industry with the places of 4th for Zarco, 5th for Aleix Espargaró, 6th with Martin, and 7th for Miller. Better, the top 10 is completed by Augusto Fernandez, Binder and Oliveira. Japanese brands are at the bottom of the ranking and far away in terms of gap. Complicated race for Bagnaia, who finished far from the points zone: the leader of the World Championship finished 14th behind Bastianini. 18th Marc Marquez and 21st Quartararo… It was the first time this season that no MotoGP World Champion (Francesco Bagnaia, Fabio Quartararo, Joan Mir, and Marc Marquez) scored points during a Tissot Sprint.

But here we are on Sunday and the rain seems to be a bad memory, which will undoubtedly reshuffle the cards. Let's take a look around the starting grid. In pole position we find Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) who signed his third pole position in MotoGP and went on to a second for the first time in his career, despite a fall in Q2. The Italian is the fifth different pole-sitter in the last five editions organized at Silverstone.

Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) qualified in second position, matching his best performance in the exercise at KTM carried out in Jerez and giving the oranges their best result at Silverstone. The Australian finished seventh in the Tissot Sprint but has the opportunity on Sunday to make MotoGP history by winning for a third different manufacturer after Honda et Ducati. Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing) also dreams of achieving this performance with Aprilia, he who enjoyed success at Suzuki et Yamaha .

Alex Márquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) finished third in Q2 and takes to the front row for the third time after Argentina, where he scored his first pole, as well as Italy, although he suffered a penalty a penalty of three places. The Spaniard claimed his first Tissot Sprint victory and became the fifth man to triumph on a Saturday afternoon. The native of Cervera will aim for his first Grand Prix success tomorrow.

Thanks to Francis Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) (France, Italy, Germany) and Marco Bezzecchi (Netherlands, Great Britain), this is the fifth consecutive pole of Ducati and the fifth success in a row for the Bologna factory in the Tissot Sprint. Marco Bezzecchi et Alex Marquez also ensure a 49th top 3 in a row for Ducati in qualifying.

Winner last year, Pecco Bagnaia fell in Q2 but still finished fourth, his second worst result in the exercise this season after the Spanish GP, which he started from fifth place before going to win. This is the first time that the Italian has not scored points in the Tissot Sprint while finishing the race. Tomorrow, the Turinese will try to get his fifth victory of the year, which would already bring him just two wins short of his 2022 total.

Passed through Q2, the rookie Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) qualified in fifth position, his best result in the elite. The Spaniard finished eighth in the Tissot Sprint, scoring his first points in the exercise. The GASGAS rider will be looking to take his first MotoGP podium on Sunday, with his best result so far being a fourth place in France.

On the podium of the last four Grands Prix held at Silverstone, Maverick Vinales qualified eighth, his worst result on this track since his 11th place in 2018, before the race was canceled. Despite this, “Top Gun” scored his first podium in the Tissot Sprint with a third place.

Marc Marquez set the 14th fastest time in qualifying, his worst performance at Silverstone in MotoGP, which was fifth position until now. The eight-time World Champion finished 18th in the Tissot Sprint and will tomorrow look to finish his first Grand Prix since finishing seventh in Malaysia last year.

fabio quartararo came to Silverstone for his fifth Q1 of the season after Argentina, Spain, France and Italy, which is already more times than between his rookie season in 2019 and 2022. The Frenchman missed his fifth Q2 of the year by qualifying 22nd, the worst result of his career. “El Diablo” finished 21st in the Tissot Sprint.

What will this ninth round of the MotoGP season have in store for us at Silverstone? Before knowing it, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

Silverstone MotoGP™	2022	2023
FP1	1'59.893 Johann Zarco (See here)	2'00.295 Marco Bezzecchi (See here)
P	1'58.946 Fabio Quartararo (See here)	1'58.183 Aleix Espargaro (See here)
FP2	1'58.254 Aleix Espargaro (See here)	2'18.076 Fabio Di Giannantonio (See here)
FP4	1'59.005 Johann Zarco (See here)	XXXXXXXXXXX
Q1	1'58.609 Enea Bastianini (See here)	2'15.884 Franco Morbidelli (See here)
Q2	1'57.767 Johann Zarco (See here)	2'15.359 Marco Bezzecchi (See here)
Sprint	XXXXXXXXXXX	Alex Marquez Bezzecchi Vinales (See here)
Warm Up	1'59.227 Maverick Vinales (See here)	2'10.207 Marco Bezzecchi (See here)
Course	Bagnaia, Viñales, Miller (See here)	Espargaro, Bagnaia, Binder (See here)
All time lap record	1'57.767 Johann Zarco 2022 (See here)

Here are the live images...

It's back to school and race day on the Silverstone track: the track is dry, the temperature recorded there is 24°. It is 16° in the air.

Alex Marquez, yesterday's winner of the Sprint race, is ready, whether it rains or not...

The rain is coming...

For the record, a reminder of the forces present!

It's time to make your predictions...Who will be victorious??

The sun is coming back little by little, the rain has stopped...

Departure in 11.42min

Asked about the risk of rain, Miller doesn't seem at all worried about that...the strength is in him!

The drivers will have 20 laps to complete on the track measuring 5.9 km

Warm-up tour in progress...

It's off and it's Miller who takes the lead ahead of Bezzecchi and Bagnaia. Touchette with Martin and Alex Marquez... the latter broke his fin.

Zarco 10th, Quartararo 16th

Bagnaia passes Bezzechi. Bagnaia takes the lead in the race. Quartararo passes Fernandez, he is 14th

After 2 rounds, the positions are occupied by: Bagnaia, Bezzecchi, A. Marquez, Espargaro A., Binder, Zarco, Vinales, Marini, Morbidelli and Bastianani. 

Fall of Mir

Things are heating up between Miller and Vinales..

Aleix Espargaro very fast, passes A.Marquez, he takes rank 3.

A.Marquez encounters a technical problem, he returns to the pits.

In front Bezzecchi does not let go of Bagnaia, he is only 0.319s behind. Bezzecchi goes to the mat!

New top5 with 14 laps to go: Bagnaia, A.Espargaro, Binder, Vinales and Zarco

The Aprilia rider returns to Bagnaia's wheel: he is only 0.368s behind.

Quartararo enters the top10, he has just passed Martin.

There are 12 rounds left, the top10 is as follows: Bagnaia, A.Esparagro, Binder, Vinales, Zarco, Oliveira, Marini, Morbidelli, Bastianini and Quartararo.

Vinales attacks Binder and it passes, he potentially climbs onto the 3rd step of the podium.

Zarco seems in difficulty, Oliveira passes him without problem, the Portuguese is now 5th, tire problem for Zarco?? Marini returns to the French pilot following...

Marini launches an attack on Zarco, but in vain, the Frenchman resists.

There are 8 laps left and Bagnaia holds his own in front of A.Espargaro. Vinales, Binder, Oliveira, Marini, Zarco, Martin, Quartararo and MMarquez complete this top10

Waving white flag, raindrops..

The rain is starting to fall heavily...

Vinales attacks A.Espargaro and it pays off, he is 2nd. Quartararo has just passed Zarco, he is 8th

Fall of MMarquez

Some riders return to the box to change bikes.

Some drivers remain on the track such as Bagnaia, Oliveira, Binder

Top5 3 laps from the goal: Bagnaia A.Espargaro, Olivera, Binder and. Vinales

Concern for Quartararo, contact with Marini

Last lap: Aleix Espargaro passes Bagnaia, Binder and Oliveira

Victory for the Aprilia rider ahead of Bagnaia and Binder. Zarco finished 9th. Quartararo finishes 15th

        MotoGP Silverstone Course: standings

 

Credit classification motogp.com