2019 British GP Preview: No Clear Favorite at Silverstone MotoGP

2019 Silverstone MotoGP Preview

Last year’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone was a historical one. Not because of a dominate rider, but rather the rain.

The Silverstone MotoGP was the first GP canceled since the 1980 Austrian Grand Prix at Salzburgring. The cancelation was due to big pools of water collecting on the track. The issues led to some fresh paving ahead of this year’s British Grand Prix, which is set for this weekend – and as of Wednesday, clear conditions are forecasted.

Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez has a comfortable 58-point lead over Mission Winnow Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso, but there is no clear favorite at Silverstone if you focus on results on the track itself.

Since 2013, five different riders have won across four manufacturers at Silverstone:

• Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha), 2013
• Marc Marquez (Honda), 2014
• Valentino Rossi (Yamaha), 2015
• Maverick Vinales (Suzuki), 2016
• Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) 2017

In regards to the track itself, the results are incredibly unpredictable. But if you look at the 2019 season so far, the results are very predictable. And here is where Marquez reigns.

The 26-year-old Spaniard has finished second or better at 10 of 11 rounds, including six victories. He just missed out on the last round in Austria to Dovizioso and is looking forward to riding the newly paved circuit.

Also, if he achieves another podium, he’ll equal Agostini’s 88 podiums in the premier class.

“Hopefully we can enjoy a great race in Silverstone,” Marc Marquez says. “We have certainly had some bad luck in the past, but this year we are showing that we are much stronger at circuits where in the past we haven’t been so I am feeling good for the weekend. We will see what the new surface is like because in the past Silverstone has been quite bumpy and of course we’ll see what the weather does.”

The other big news for the factory Honda team is the return of Marquez’s teammate Jorge Lorenzo. The five-time World Champion has been sidelined since breaking his back at round eight in Assen.

As for competitors, Marquez’s largest challenge will once again arrive from the man who beat him two weeks ago at Austria’s Red Bull Ring. Dovizioso is also the last winner at Silverstone, and his confidence is high.

“Nothing gives you more satisfaction and confidence than a victory, and so we come to Silverstone with our moral sky-high,” Andrea Dovizioso says. “Our result at the Red Bull Ring didn’t come about by chance, because we worked really well over the two successive race weekends and the results proved us to be right.

“Even though the characteristics of the British track are not as favorable to us as Brno and Zeltweg, we have already shown that we can also be quick at Silverstone, like in 2017 when we won the race. As always, the weather will play an important part and we have to be ready to adapt to any circumstances.”

Adapting to any circumstance is undoubtedly what the 2019 grid must do – especially with the newly paved surface. Though the weather forecast so far is calling for sunny conditions, things can change fast in the UK.

Practice begins Friday ahead of Saturday qualifying and Sunday’s 20-lap MotoGP.

For television times, visit 2019 MotoGP US TV Schedule.

2019 MotoGP Point Standings (after 11 of 19 rounds)