Hertz British Grand Prix 2013

Posted on Aug 26, 2013 by Nick Harris

ROUND TWELVE 2013 MotoGP™ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP - SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 1

Local boy Bradley Smith rides a MotoGP for the first time on home soil. The 22 year old Oxfordshire rider who has two Silverstone podiums to his name has made a solid start to his premier class career despite a crash in Brno after he’d qualified on the second row of the grid. He lies 11th in the championship and has finished sixth on two occasions.

Bradley Smith
“In my rookie season things like Brno can happen when you are pushing to try and learn and build experience. At least I don’t have to wait long for Silverstone. I’m disappointed with Brno, but highly motivated to build on the positive points we gained here. Racing at home is always special but this will be my first MotoGP race at Silverstone and I can’t wait.”

MARQUEZ MARCHES ON INTO SILVERSTONE
Stand by the British public – the biggest thing to hit grand prix motorcycle racing since Kenny Roberts 35 long years ago arrives for the Hertz British Grand Prix this weekend. Twenty year old Marc Marquez has shaken the sport to its very foundations in his rookie year.

The Repsol Honda rider arrives at Silverstone for round 12 of the MotoGP World Championship with a 26 point lead. He’s won the last four grands prix in succession and five in total and it appears there is nothing the established stars can do to prevent him winning the world championship at his very first attempt. Three years ago he won the 125 cc race at Silverstone on route to the world title and last year was third in the Moto2 race after a tremendous battle with Scott Redding. His team-mate Dani Pedrosa chased hard in Brno while still recovering from his collarbone injury but has to close that 26 point advantage quick. World Champion Jorge Lorenzo was bitterly disappointed to finish third behind the two Hondas in Brno. His title is slipping through his fingers as he trails Marquez by 48 points. The Yamaha rider has won twice at Silverstone including last year but he must win on Sunday to have any chance, however faint, of retaining his crown.

Nine times World Champion Valentino Rossi returns to Britain to ride the factory Yamaha for the first time. The Italian is fourth in the championship and will be looking for at least a podium finish but would prefer a Donington race where he won five times in the premier class. Stefan Bradl won the Moto2 race a couple of years ago and returns on the LCR Honda lying sixth in the championship while just behind him Andrea Dovizioso won the last MotoGP race at Donington in 2009.

American Nicky Hayden makes his last Ducati appearance in Britain before being replaced by Cal Crutchlow next year and  Alvaro Bautista will be hoping to repeat his pole position of last year riding the GoandFun Gresini Honda.

Aleix Espargaro continues to dominate the CRT battle while big British favourite former World Superbike Champion Colin Edwards has hit top form and has been the top qualifier on NGM Mobile Forward Racing FTR Kawasaki at the last two races.


FLAT OUT LOGISTICAL
It has been a tough couple of weeks for everybody involved in the MotoGP World Championship culminating in the Hertz British Grand Prix this weekend. It is the third race within a space of two weeks. After three cargo jumbo jets flew everything back across the Atlantic from Indianapolis to Brno it is then down to the trucks to get everything to Silverstone on time. Ducati alone had to employ 18 drivers to make the trip to ensure all their bikes, equipment and hospitality units arrived by Tuesday evening at Silverstone.

SILVERSTONE FACTS AND FIGURES
Only one British solo rider has won the British Grand Prix at Silverstone and it was a long time ago. In 1986 Ian McConachie won the 80 cc on a Krauser. The British round of the World Championship was always held at the TT races in the Isle of Man since the start of the World Championship in 1949. It switched to Silverstone in 1977 where American Pat Hennen won the first 500cc race after British riders Steve Parrish and John Williams crashed on the last lap while leading. The grand prix switched to Donington Park in 1987 but returned to Silverstone in 2009 where Jorge Lorenzo won the first MotoGP race.

Circuit Length: 3.666 miles
Width: 17m
Pole Position: Right
Longest Straight: 0.478 miles
Left Corners: Eight
Right Corners: Ten
Pole Position Record: Casey Stoner/Honda 2’02.020 (2011)
Lap Record: Jorge Lorenzo/Yamaha 2'02.888 (2012)

TELEVISION TIMES
BBC/BRITISH EUROSPORT
Friday 30 August
13:05 - 16:00 Moto3/MotoGP/Moto2 FP 2 Connected TV/Online

Saturday 31 August
09:50 - 10:40 MotoGP FP3, Connected TV and Online
12:30 - 16:00 Moto3/MotoGP and Moto2 Qualifying Red Button and British Eurosport

Sunday 1 September
11:05  Moto2 race Red Button and British Eurosport
12:30 - 14:00 MotoGP race BBC 2 HD
14:15 - 15:15 Moto3 race Red Button and British Eurosport