Category: Crew On Two

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

Valentino Rossi arrives at the Silverstone circuit ahead of the British Grand Prix, an event in which he scored 25 points in last season.

The Doctor comes to the twelfth round feeling confident after securing second place at the last race in Brno, making it a total of five podium finishes so far this season. He looks forward to riding the fast sweeping corners of Silverstone, where he rode his YZR-M1 to his first victory at this track last year. He had been successful on British soil at Donington Park in previous years, having secured three modern era premier class wins in 2002, 2004 and 2005, and two 500cc victories in 2000 and 2001.

Silverstone made its first appearance on the MotoGP calendar in 2010 and is one of the fastest tracks on the calendar thanks to innovations to the circuit‘s lay-out, earning it high praise from the riders. The racing passion of the British fans also adds to the atmosphere of the venue, making the British Grand Prix a must-be-at event.

“I have very nice recent memories of Silvertone. Last year I won a really incredible race in very difficult conditions”, said the veteran Italian who currently sits on 114 career race wins.

“I hope that this year there will be nice weather, but from the climatic point of view the English race is very uncertain. I like Silverstone a lot, it‘s a very fun track but also very demanding” explained Valentino, who has just one other podium at the track, in 2014 when he finished third. This circuit is very long and there are many changes of direction with high speeds”, said the winner of eight previous British Grand Prix, spread across three classes.

“It is important to find a perfect set-up for the bike to be able to suit both the slow and the fast corners. We will try to work on all aspects, as we have been doing the entire season to get the best possible result”.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

The Silverstone circuit in England will be the host of the next round of the MotoGP World Championship, one of the longest tracks of the season and also one of only two – together with Austin – with a lap-time of more-than two minutes.

Team SUZUKI ECSTAR will get to UK this weekend with the experience and progress made in wet conditions after the recent Austrian and Czech rounds. The experience gained by the team in those difficult conditions was valuable and the earliest results were already seen in Brno when both Aleix Espargaró’s and Maverick Viñales’ performances improved consistently and positively.

The tricky weather conditions that usually characterise the British weather are not worrying the team anymore because of the improvements made by Suzuki’s R&D department in Japan.

With more than 60 years history, Silverstone has become one of the most prestigious motorsport venues of the season. Completely revamped in recent years, a multi-million-pound investment saw the completion of a first phase of works to greatly improve the venue in 2010, making it one of the fastest tracks on the MotoGP calendar and earning high praise from the World Championship riders who enjoyed the new layout.

The track is 5.9 km (3.67 miles) in length with a good balance between left and right-hand corners: eight left and 10 right-handers and Sunday’s race will be disputed over a total of 20 laps, for a total distance of 118.0 km – 73.4 miles.

Maverick Viñales: We can have a good race in any conditions
“My expectations for Silverstone are positive, it has always been a good track for me and here I also did my first pole position. I’ve always liked it a lot and I think for the Suzuki it can be a good track also. We have to work a lot, we did important improvements in latest races increasing our knowledge of the bike and finding some solutions in the set-up and electronics that can help me in tricky weather conditions. The first and last sectors are really nice, and there are some corners that will suit our machine’s characteristics. The weather will paly a role, as always in England it is unpredictable, but the progress we’ve made makes me think that we can do a good race in any conditions.”

Aleix Espargaró: Fast corners mean our chassis has an advantage
“I’m not expecting an easy weekend as the weather conditions can vary suddenly and we’ll have to be very quick in adapting to the changes, and it will probably be cold. It will be very important to try to exploit at the best any dry session we have in order to take advantage, and also to be very quick to find a positive base set-up. I like the track, very fast where the engine will need a good performance, but also it has very fast corners where our chassis can be an advantage.”

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

A charming and historical track will host round 12 on the 2016 MotoGP calendar. The Silverstone circuit, a former RAF military airstrip and the first track to host a Formula 1 race, has various points of interest. Fast and flowing, it always provides spectacular races, attracting large and enthusiastic crowds. The unpredictable weather conditions also add another variable.

The Aprilia RS-GP machines ridden by Stefan Bradl and Alvaro Bautista arrive in the United Kingdom after the Misano tests, where both riders continued the development programme. Some of the solutions used on the Italian track are ready to be implemented at Silverstone.

Both the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini riders like the layout of the English circuit. Last year, Alvaro Bautista took one of his best race results right here on the fast corners of Silverstone, with a tenth place finish.

Alvaro Bautista: Top 10 potential would be great

“I like Silverstone a lot. It is a fun ride. The weather is crucial here. It can change from one moment to the next between rain and sunny skies, so it is a factor that must be watched. After the Misano tests I think we will be able to implement some new ideas on the track, taking the best advantage of the tests. I hope to have a good weekend, working well in every session. Having top-10 potential on race day would be a great result for us”.

Stefan Bradl: Our bike should work well here

“We expect a demanding weekend, but one that we are tackling after the good tests conducted at Misano. We have a lot of material to confirm on a new track. I think that some of the things used in the tests will be useful for us. I would like to have stable weather conditions so we can continue this development effort. The track is fast and flowing. It should be a good fit for our settings that usually perform well on this type of layout”.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko