MotoGP’s return from its summer time break didn’t disappoint, as a dramatic weekend concluded with an exhilarating British Grand Prix.
The rider market saga kicked off proceedings at Silverstone, with information of Alex Rins changing Franco Morbidelli at Yamaha in 2024 opening up extra rumours about bike swaps.
On monitor, Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro put in a shocking cost from twelfth on the grid to steal victory within the grand prix from Francesco Bagnaia with a daring last-lap overtake. However woes for rivals allowed Bagnaia to maneuver 41 factors clear within the standings, strengthening his place because the rider to beat because the championship enters its second part.
The Japanese producers continued to wrestle, however there gave the impression to be some mild on the finish of the tunnel for Marc Marquez no less than.
Pol Espargaro made his race comeback for Tech3 after 4 months on the sidelines recovering from severe harm, placing in a heroic effort to only get by the weekend and are available away with some factors.
Elsewhere, race path selections drew the ire of riders, whereas the implementation of a brand new rule proved clunky.
Listed here are the ten issues we realized from the 2023 MotoGP British GP.
1. Aleix places ambition apart to win at Silverstone
Aleix Espargaro recorded simply his second MotoGP win on the weekend
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
Aleix Espargaro’s thrilling overtake (having virtually crashed earlier within the tour) on the within of Francesco Bagnaia on the Maggotts complicated on the ultimate lap of the British GP will go down as one of many highlights of the racing yr.
It was a courageous transfer to cap off a wonderful trip for the Aprilia runner, who got here from twelfth on the grid to register his second profession grand prix victory on the venue the place his Aprilia dream actually began to blossom two years in the past.
After the breakout of 2022, rather more was anticipated of Aprilia and Espargaro this season. Previous to the summer time break, the marque had simply two grand prix podiums to its credit score, Espargaro getting his first at Assen after a monitor limits penalty for Brad Binder.
Espargaro admitted after the British GP that ambitions had been too excessive for 2023 after a robust pre-season, and that led to him making extra errors.
“Initially of the season the expectation was too excessive, on myself and on the group,” he mentioned. “So, I made too many errors; I crashed in Argentina, I crashed in America, I misplaced a number of factors. I had good velocity, many Fridays, many periods within the dry I used to be near Pecco, main.
“Nevertheless it doesn’t matter, you must be quick on Sunday. So, for one cause or one other, I used to be not in a position to actually match my velocity with the outcomes. And clearly, we don’t have the factors we deserve.”
Placing ambition to at least one aspect seems to have achieved the trick, and maybe now Aprilia can actually kick into gear within the second half of the season. LD
2. Bagnaia rode like a champion, even when he doesn’t care about proving a degree
It may not have been a win, however Bagnaia made an enormous stride in direction of the 2023 MotoGP title at Silverstone
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
Francesco Bagnaia’s Silverstone weekend was a blended affair, with a mystifying challenge within the moist dash leaving him with out factors for the primary time this season on a Saturday down in 14th. However he and Ducati bounced again brilliantly on Sunday.
Main for a lot of the 20-lap race, an absence of traction within the closing phases meant he might do nothing to cease Espargaro from taking a hard-earned win away from him.
Nevertheless, a crash for Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin ending sixth has allowed Bagnaia to go 41 factors clear within the standings in a race the place a mistake was all too simple to make. That has been a sin of Bagnaia’s he’s slowly overcoming, even when he doesn’t really feel has something to show in conditions like this.
“I’m not pondering ever that I’ve to reveal to anybody our potential as a result of I do know completely what I can do, what our group can do, what Ducati can do,” he mentioned. “So, I’m simply attempting to work properly, to arrange completely for the race and don’t have any surprises within the races. That is one thing that has modified in comparison with final yr.” LD
3. Quartararo’s Yamaha embarrassment continues
Quartararo and Yamaha plunged to new lows at Silverstone
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
Having taken his maiden world title in 2021 and preventing for wins final yr, of which he took three, Fabio Quartararo has clearly cemented himself as one of many MotoGP stars of at present.
However you’d suppose in any other case from his outcomes this yr, with Yamaha’s M1 proving a troublesome beast to tame.
In truth, the Frenchman concedes that riders on the Japanese producers – Yamaha and Honda, who’re having an much more torrid time – are being embarrassed by their equipment.
Having completed twenty first within the 10-lap dash, Quartararo mentioned: “Properly, after all. I imply, when you verify, now it’s extra the European bikes than the Japanese bikes, however there’s not one [Japanese manufacturer rider] on high and the others backside.
“All of us are down, so for certain we’re doing one thing flawed. However particularly from my aspect beginning that far down, we should do one thing completely totally different tomorrow.
“We now have nothing to lose and my precedence now’s to attempt to enhance, to be extra in entrance and make a step ahead within the coming races, the place usually within the second half of the season is the place we drop down.”
His woes continued on Sunday, tangling with VR46 rider Luca Marini whereas operating seventh and dropping the entrance of his fairing. He went on to complete fifteenth of the 17 riders to cross the road, having began final, and regardless of glimmers of hope, he doesn’t consider he might have fought for a top-five place. MW
4. Pol’s comeback ache exhibits his dedication
Pol Espargaro made his first MotoGP outing in virtually 5 months
Picture by: GasGas Manufacturing facility Racing
Participating in your first race weekend after a comeback from harm is all the time laborious, not to mention when these accidents are as extreme as these suffered by Pol Espargaro in a horrific FP2 crash on the season-opening Portuguese Grand Prix.
Having sustained a number of again and jaw fractures after hitting an unprotected tyre barrier, it was an extended highway again to MotoGP for the Tech3 KTM rider, so it’s unsurprising that the weekend left him exhausted.
“I’m cooked. Properly, after 10 laps I used to be cooked,” he mentioned after Sunday’s race. “After the primary 10 laps, I used to be fully burned out. I feel the primary 10 laps I discover myself behind Augusto and I might comply with him for the primary few laps, and I feel that was the issue.
“I requested of myself a little bit bit extra and my physique simply mentioned ‘sufficient, you’ve achieved sufficient’. It fully locked, the neck is totally locked, I couldn’t do extra.
“I used to be occupied with retiring, however to begin with I needed to complete however then I noticed some guys pitting in when it began to rain in sector 4, in order that was a gift that they had been giving to me. So, I simply continued and took some factors.”
And take some factors he did, ending a really respectable twelfth to attain 4 factors on his return to the premier class. Having struggled each bodily and mentally in Saturday’s dash too, even having to take an hour nap between periods, it was an admirable comeback from such a decided rider.
Although his trip for 2024 could also be underneath menace (extra on that later), Espargaro’s sheer willpower is one thing to be recommended, particularly given he’s “far, very far-off from the place I wish to be” in the case of health. MW
5. The true Marc Marquez has been put away, no less than for now
Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Group
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
Nobody was fairly certain what Marc Marquez would re-emerge from the five-week summer time break following his bruising, demoralising begin to the 2023 marketing campaign.
Whereas questions on his Honda future proceed, even when he mentioned at Silverstone that “my intention” is to stay for 2024, the ‘actual’ Marc Marquez has been put away for now whereas he figures issues out.
He took a brand new strategy for the British GP, shunning outcomes and using purely on feeling: if he felt good, he’d push a bit, if not then he’d hold it smart. It meant his dash outcome was a lowly 18th however was on for a high 10 within the grand prix earlier than he collided with Enea Bastianini in an “unfortunate” late incident.
Beginning the Silverstone weekend with the bike he raced in Portugal, Marquez is but to discover a base set-up to construct on. Nevertheless, after the grand prix, there was a constructive to take out of the spherical.
“I’m completely happy in regards to the weekend as a result of the goal was to attempt to rebuild a bit the boldness and attempt to discover the bottom,” Marquez mentioned. “I rebuilt the boldness, however to seek out the bottom, we want extra races, extra race tracks, totally different conditions. However the weekend was strong, and secure, additionally I managed myself. The strategy of the weekend was very totally different. I overlook the instances, overlook all the things.”
Now Honda should ship him with a 2024 prototype at September’s Misano check that may elevate that confidence stage. LD
6. “Sturdy soldier” Zarco might get true KTM redemption as Honda change looms
Johann Zarco, Pramac Racing
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
Johann Zarco might get a full-time Honda shot in 2024 as hyperlinks to LCR to switch Yamaha-bound Alex Rins emerged in the course of the British GP.
The 33-year-old contested three races for LCR on the finish of a 2019 marketing campaign during which he was kicked out of KTM having introduced mid-season that he could be ending his two-year contract early – one thing he advised Motosprint a number of years in the past was “not fully my selection”.
Zarco might have been a manufacturing unit Honda rider initially of 2019 had his supervisor not inked that fateful cope with KTM, the place the Frenchman struggled to match his podium type from his Tech3 Yamaha days the 2 seasons prior – managing only one high 10 on the RC16.
On the face of it, shifting to Honda now threatens a lot the identical: Marc Marquez has scored 15 factors in 2023, Joan Mir simply 5, whereas it’s a motorcycle that wore down Pol Espargaro to return to KTM for this yr and killed Jorge Lorenzo’s profession in 2019.
However Zarco believes the maturity he has gained since 2019 ought to stand him in higher stead for a Honda change, resulting in a doable true redemption for his KTM nightmare.
“I might be proud to be this man as a result of I couldn’t make this work properly in KTM,” he mentioned of serving to develop the Honda. “Possibly my suggestions was good for KTM, however the outcomes I used to be having I used to be not able to be on this place. So, I made the choice to come back again to Ducati. However within the case of getting this selection, certain the maturity shouldn’t be the identical [as it was in 2019]. So, we should hold the choices open.”
Zarco additionally pressured that his outcomes had been ok to warrant remaining with Ducati and Pramac, even when that appears unlikely as Marco Bezzecchi will get set to take his trip. LD
7. KTM’s Acosta placement state of affairs removed from resolved
KTM could must shuffle its pack to make room for Acosta
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
KTM seems to be in fairly the bind for 2024. With rising prodigy Pedro Acosta confirmed to be graduating from Moto2, the place he’s at the moment second within the standings, the Austrian producer might want to discover a area for him.
Each manufacturing unit seats are occupied, by Brad Binder and Jack Miller, which leaves the 2 Tech3 GasGas-branded KTM seats, at the moment taken by 2022 Moto2 champion Augusto Fernandez and Pol Espargaro, who raced in his first full grand prix weekend of the yr at Silverstone.
Standard knowledge put Fernandez on the chopping board to make means for Acosta, given he didn’t have a two-year deal handy. Nevertheless, he advised Autosport final Thursday that his deal for subsequent yr is already achieved, including that he’s “actually completely happy” to be staying with the group.
So, with three riders for 2 seats, what is going to KTM’s resolution be, particularly given their bid to accumulate two extra grid slots has failed for now?
Properly, it appears like Espargaro could possibly be the massive loser right here, nudged apart right into a check rider position in lieu of a greater possibility.
The Spaniard has accepted he could possibly be moved apart and mentioned over the weekend that he’ll “not hesitate to maneuver aside if there was an improve, as a result of what I would like is to see the manufacturing unit shining.”
KTM’s musical chairs strategy to seats has lengthy since been unpredictable, however hopefully, extra readability will come subsequent outing on the Austrian Grand Prix, its dwelling race. MW
8. Race path selections underneath hearth once more at Silverstone
Saturday’s British MotoGP motion was a moist and wild affair
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
It was a brand new weekend, however the age-old criticisms of MotoGP’s race path continued – this time amid moist climate circumstances which throughout FP3 and qualifying on Saturday morning.
Poleman Alex Marquez was left sad on the quantity of grass deposited on monitor from crashes in Q2 at a number of corners, with each second-place starter Marco Bezzecchi and Marquez happening, as did Francesco Bagnaia, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Luca Marini.
The Gresini Ducati rider mentioned the session ought to have been red-flagged to wash it up, including: “I noticed there have been many crashes, a number of grass going into the nook the place Marco crashed, additionally another corners.
“So, I don’t know if it was a world championship or a regional championship [we were riding in]. This isn’t acceptable. When it’s like this, there must be a purple flag and they should clear the monitor.”
Reigning world champion Bagnaia concurred, and mentioned after the dash race: “Already from FP2 it was a purple flag, I feel. In case of [practice] session, it’s okay to allow us to go.
“However the spray, and contemplating my crash, I used to be already in entrance [of the rest] – like Marco’s – but when that was a race, you’d undergo three or 4 riders for certain. So, it was a bit on the restrict in the course of the session, however was a purple flag if the race was on this situation.”
Aleix Espargaro, too, was crucial, saying: “I am very, very indignant. I don’t perceive what at present’s race management did in any respect.”
He added: “I talked with them after the qualifying. They mentioned to me ‘100%, if the circumstances are like this then the race gained’t begin’. I mentioned ‘Okay, after which why did qualifying begin?’ It was not possible on the straights, there was aquaplaning in all places, and we noticed many crashes.” MW
9. Mid-season regulation modifications want extra thought
A MotoGP tyre rule change has been put in for security, however is it set to trigger extra danger?
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
There have been two regulation modifications on the British Grand Prix. The Friday format had been tweaked in order that solely FP2 (now referred to as Observe, whereas the third observe of the weekend is FP2… yeah, we don’t know both) counted in direction of the qualifying teams.
The second has doubtlessly further-reaching penalties. From Silverstone, the brand new Tyre Strain Monitoring System was put into motion, which measures the entrance and rear pressures of all riders.
All riders should run to a entrance minimal stress of 1.9 bar for no less than 50% of the grand prix and 30% of the dash, whereas the rear minimal is 1.7 bar. This has been a rule all yr however has not been formally regulated till now.
Riders have spent all yr elevating security issues about one thing that was ostensibly meant to enhance security, with a lot of them stating at Silverstone the entrance tyre loses grip when it hits 2.0 bar and above.
Whereas the system is built-in, penalties will probably be issued on a sliding scale starting with a warning after which time penalties for every subsequent transgression.
In the end, as a result of the dash was moist and the grand prix was declared flag-to-flag, the rule didn’t apply.
Nevertheless, the system is but to be automated – as was the entire level – and the race director randomly selects riders to verify. None of this was truly absolutely defined till FP1 when Michelin motorsport boss Piero Taramasso was interviewed on the world feed.
Given the confusion surrounding its implementation and the actual fact the system isn’t absolutely operational, it has made MotoGP look a bit foolish. Maybe it’s time to bench it once more till it has been absolutely developed for the 2024 marketing campaign. LD
10. Britain’s MotoGP hopes boosted as Dixon shuns WSBK transfer
Jake Dixon, Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Manufacturing facility Racing
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
It wasn’t a homecoming that went to plan for Jake Dixon, however Britain’s latest grand prix winner has no less than given followers hope of cheering on a compatriot on the MotoGP grid within the subsequent few years.
Whereas Dixon had been linked to a MotoGP transfer in 2024 previous to the summer time break, choices are scarce and seem earmarked for others: Yamaha has already secured Alex Rins, Gresini has its eye on Tony Arbolino, VR46 is prone to welcome Franco Morbidelli, Pramac is about signal Marco Bezzecchi and LCR might both take Iker Lecuona or Johann Zarco as Takaaki Nakagami has a robust declare to maintain his seat.
Dixon advised Autosport at Silverstone that he’d had World Superbike curiosity, however the former British Superbike star has little interest in entertaining that.
Ought to he proceed his strengthening Moto2 type for the remainder of this season and thru subsequent, an area will open up for the Briton – not least with MotoGP eager to seek out methods to interact a dwindling UK viewers.
INTERVIEW: Why British MotoGP followers ought to get behind its latest grand prix winner
“On the finish of the day, my dream is to go to MotoGP and be there,” Dixon mentioned. “However, it must be proper and I must be given the chance. If I get given one alternative to go, I’ll present what I can do. But when I’m to not go there…. I had curiosity in World Superbikes, nevertheless it’s not a factor [for me].
“I’ve achieved all of the laborious work right here, to change championships is senseless. So, if I’m to remain in Moto2 for one more yr, so be it. It’s not that I don’t wish to try this, however my dream is to be in MotoGP. If I keep in Moto2, I really feel my loyalty is to this group. I owe it to them as a result of they gave me the chance not as soon as however twice. That’s large. If the MotoGP factor doesn’t come off, then we have to purpose to be not simply one-time world champion however twice in Moto2.” LD
MotoGP heads on to Austria subsequent in two weeks’ time
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos