MotoGP Virtual British Grand Prix Results and Coverage

In his Virtual MotoGP debut, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP test rider and five-time GP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo took the win at the Michelin Virtual British Grand Prix. Lorenzo took the win from pole position, although not until after he was punted off his motorcycle early in the first lap by Takaaki Nakagami. After the first corner, Lorenzo and Fabio Quartararo led.

Nakagami, known more for his virtual take-out moves and crashing than his speed, led the first half of the Virtual British Grand Prix. As Nakagami was leading, Lorenzo was methodically working his way through the pack.

When Nakagami crashed in an unforced error on lap 5, Tito Rabat took the lead. Rabat had been a reliable crasher in earlier Virtual MotoGP races, but was riding much more consistently on this latest version of the MotoGP20 video game.

Lorenzo hounded Rabat before putting the race-winning move on lap 8. Rabat did slam the back of Lorenzo in response to Lorenzo’s pass, but Rabat was never again able to get close enough to put a move on Lorenzo.

“I was very happy to join this race,” Lorenzo said. “I’ve been a great fan of video games ever since I was very young, and little by little I acquired some skills, especially with motorsport games such as MotoGP, Formula1, and Rally. I think it was a great idea to start these virtual racing competitions during the lockdown, and now I‘ve finally been able to join in for my first virtual race. The MotoGP video game has become more and more realistic, and especially this year they made a big step. One of the coolest things are the updates that improve the riding realism and feeling.”

“My rivals were very strong today,” Lorenzo continued. “They had the chance to participate in some previous MotoGP virtual races, while this was the first time for me. Some of them, like Fabio and Pecco, are very young and very fast, so I had to train a lot in the last few days in order to get acquainted with the MotoGP20 game. I tried to get some references and be consistent with my pace. I got the pole position but, unfortunately, Nakagami crashed into me in the third corner. I had to stay calm to recover the gap. Fabio was very fast but luckily for me, he crashed more times than I did. I passed Tito in the last few laps and I won the race. I‘m very happy because I made real the famous sentence by the Roman emperors, ‘Veni, vidi, vici!'”

Quartararo survived several crashes to take the final podium position after a final-lap pass of Nakagami. It was Quartararo’s first Virtual MotoGP podium, despite his three pole starts. Nakagami and Michele Pirro rounded out the top five.

With series leaders Alex Márquez and Maverick Viñales absent from the Virtual British Grand Prix, Pecco Bagnaia had a chance to take the lead in the MotoGP Virtual Race Series with a podium finish. However, Bagnaia had was unable to avoid multiple rashes and finished in P7. That put Bagnaia in P2 in the series standings, seven points shy of Márquez.

Michelin Virtual British Grand Prix Results, Silverstone Circuit

MotoGP Results

1. Jorge Lorenzo, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP
2. Tito Rabat, Reale Avintia Racing
3. Fabio Quartararo, Petronas Yamaha SRT
4. Takaaki Nakagami, LCR Honda Idemitsu
5. Michele Pirro, Ducati Team
6. Lorenzo Savadori, Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
7. Pecco Bagnaia, Pramac Racing
8. Joan Mir, Team Suzuki Ecstar

Moto2 Results

1. Bo Bendsneyder, NTS RW Racing GP
2. Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin, ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team
3. Héctor Garzó, Flexbox HP 40
4. Augusto Fernández, EG 0,0 Marc VDS
5. Marcel Schrötter, Liqui Moly Intact GP
6. Marco Bezzecchi, Sky Racing Team VR46
7. Nicolò Bulega, Federal Oil Gresini Moto2
8. Tetsuta Nagashima, Red Bull KTM Ajo
9. Stefano Manzi, MV Agusta Forward Racing
10. Xavi Vierge, Petronas Sprinta Racing

Moto3 Results

1. Stefano Nepa, Aspar Team Gaviota
2. Jeremy Alcoba, Kömmerling Gresini Moto3
3. Ayumu Sasaki, Red Bull KTM Tech 3
4. John McPhee, Petronas Sprinta Racing
5. Yuki Kunii, Honda Team Asia
6. Barry Baltus, CarXpert Prüstel GP
7. Maximilian Kofler, CIP Green Power
8. Kaito Toba, Red Bull KTM Ajo
9. Carlos Tatay, Reale Avintia Racing
10. Jaume Masiá, Leopard Racing

MotoGP Virtual Race Series Standings (after 5 rounds)

1. Alex Márquez, Repsol Honda Team, 86 (2 wins)
2. Pecco Bagnaia, Pramac Racing Ducati, 79 (1 win)
3. Maverick Viñales, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP, 71 points (1 win)
4. Fabio Quartararo, Petronas Yamaha SRT, 71
5. Marc Márquez, Repsol Honda Team, 57
6. Tito Rabat, Real Avintia Racing, 36
7. Takaaki Nakagami, LCR Honda Idemitsu, 29
8. Joan Mir, Team Suzuki Ecstar, 28
9. Jorge Lorenzo, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP, 25 (1 win)
10. Valentino Rossi, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP, 25
11. Michele Pirro, Ducati Team; 24
12. Lorenzo Savadori, Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, 23
13. Alex Rins, Team Suzuki Ecstar, 21
14. Danilo Petrucci, Ducati Team, 20
15. Miguel Oliveira, Red Bull KTM Tech 3, 17
16. Iker Lecuona, Red Bull KTM Tech 3, 14
17. Aleix Espargaró: Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, 6

Michelin Virtual British Grand Prix Replay