British motorcycle Grand Prix explained

Race Title:	British Grand Prix
Track Map:	Silverstone Circuit moto intl pits v2.svg
Series Long:	Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Venue:	Silverstone Circuit (1977–1986, 2010–2017, 2019, 2021–present) Donington Park (1987–2009)
First Race:	1977
Most Wins Rider:	Valentino Rossi (8)
Most Wins Manufacturer:	Honda (42)

The British motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that is part of the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing season.

History

Before 1977, the only British round was the Isle of Man TT, which was part of the FIM championship from its inauguration in 1949 until 1976.

The Isle of Man TT was the most prestigious event on the Grand Prix motorcycling calendar from 1949 to 1972. After the 1972 event, multiple world champion Giacomo Agostini dropped a bombshell on the motorsports world by stating he would never race at the Isle of Man TT again, saying the 37-mile (62 km) circuit was too dangerous for international competition. His friend Gilberto Parlotti was killed during the event. Many riders followed Agostini's boycotting of the next four events, and after the 1976 season, the Isle of Man TT was scratched from the FIM calendar.

The inaugural British motorcycle Grand Prix, the first motorcycle Grand Prix to be held on the British mainland, took place at the Silverstone Circuit. The event was moved to Donington Park in 1987 before returning to Silverstone in 2010.

Dorna Sports, the commercial rights holder of what is now known as MotoGP, revealed that they had signed a deal for the British Grand Prix to be moved to the yet-to-be constructed Circuit of Wales from 2015.^[1] However, when the developer indicated that the circuit would only be ready in 2016, the British motorcycle Grand Prix was slated to return to Donington Park for 2015 only^[2] but pulled out of hosting the event on 10 February 2015, citing financial difficulties. The following day, it was announced that Silverstone would host the British Grand Prix in 2015 and 2016. In September 2016, following further delays to the construction of the Circuit of Wales, Silverstone reached an agreement to continue hosting the event in 2017 with a further option for 2018.^[3]

In early November 2017, Silverstone announced a three-year deal to host the races in 2018, 2019 and 2020.^[4]

There was no race in 2018 due to weather conditions; it resumed in 2019.^{[5] [6] [7]} The 2019 British motorcycle Grand Prix saw one of the closest finishes in MotoGP history, when Álex Rins won the race ahead of Marc Márquez by 0.014 seconds. The 2020 race was cancelled due to the outbreak of COVID-19.^[8]

The start/finish straight was relocated from the National Pits Straight to the Hamilton Straight, starting from the 2023 British motorcycle Grand Prix. ^[9]

Official names and sponsors

• 1977–1978: John Player British Grand Prix^[10]
• 1979–1985: Marlboro British Grand Prix^[11]
• 1986–1988: Shell Oils British Motorcycle Grand Prix^[12]
• 1989–1991: Shell British Motorcycle Grand Prix^[13]
• 1992: Rothmans British Grand Prix^[14]
• 1993, 1995–1996, 1998–1999, 2009: British Grand Prix (no official sponsor)^[15]
• 1994: British Motorcycle Grand Prix (no official sponsor)^[16]
• 1997: Sun British Grand Prix^[17]
• 2000–2004: Cinzano British Grand Prix^[18]
• 2005: betandwin.com British Grand Prix^[19]
• 2006: GAS British Grand Prix^[20]
• 2007: Nickel&Dime British Grand Prix^[21]
• 2008: bwin.com British Grand Prix^[22]
• 2010–2011: AirAsia British Grand Prix^[23]
• 2012–2014: Hertz British Grand Prix^[24]
• 2015–2017: Octo British Grand Prix^[25]
• 2018–2019: GoPro British Grand Prix (cancelled in 2018)^[26]
• 2021–present: Monster Energy British Grand Prix^[27]

Winners

Multiple winners (riders)

Wins	Rider	Wins
		Category	Years won
8	Valentino Rossi	MotoGP	2002, 2004, 2005, 2015
		500cc	2000, 2001
		250cc	1999
		125cc	1997
6	Kork Ballington	350cc	1977, 1978, 1979
		250cc	1977, 1979, 1980
	Ángel Nieto	125cc	1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984
	Anton Mang	350cc	1980, 1981
		250cc	1978, 1981, 1985, 1987
4	Luca Cadalora	500cc	1993
		250cc	1988, 1990, 1991
	Kevin Schwantz	500cc	1989, 1990, 1991, 1994
	Loris Capirossi	250cc	1994, 1998
		125cc	1990, 1991
	Jorge Lorenzo	MotoGP	2010, 2012, 2013
		250cc	2006
	Andrea Dovizioso	MotoGP	2009, 2017
		250cc	2007
		125cc	2004
3	Kenny Roberts	500cc	1978, 1979, 1983
	Mick Doohan	500cc	1995, 1996, 1997
	Max Biaggi	MotoGP	2003
		250cc	1995, 1996
	Casey Stoner	MotoGP	2007, 2008, 2011
2	Randy Mamola	500cc	1980, 1984
	August Auinger	125cc	1985, 1986
	Fausto Gresini	125cc	1987, 1992
	Wayne Gardner	500cc	1986, 1992
	Kazuto Sakata	125cc	1995, 1998
	Ralf Waldmann	250cc	1997, 2000
	Youichi Ui	125cc	2000, 2001
	Dani Pedrosa	MotoGP	2006
		250cc	2004
	Julián Simón	125cc	2005, 2009
	Scott Redding	Moto2	2013
		125cc	2008
	Marc Márquez	MotoGP	2014
		125cc	2010
	Maverick Viñales	MotoGP	2016
		Moto3	2012
	Álex Rins	MotoGP	2019
		Moto3	2014
	Augusto Fernández	Moto2	2019, 2022

Multiple winners (manufacturers)

Wins	Manufacturer	Wins
		Category	Years won
42	Honda	MotoGP	2002, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2014
		500cc	1984, 1985, 1986, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001
		250cc	1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1994, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2009
		Moto3	2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022
		125cc	1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2004
23	Aprilia	MotoGP	2023
		250cc	1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006
		125cc	1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
19	Yamaha	MotoGP	2004, 2005, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2021
		500cc	1978, 1979, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1993, 1998
		350cc	1977
		250cc	1977, 1982, 1984, 1990
11	Kalex	Moto2	2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024
10	Suzuki	MotoGP	2016, 2019
		500cc	1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994
8	Kawasaki	350cc	1978, 1979, 1981, 1982
		250cc	1978, 1979, 1980, 1981
7	Ducati	MotoGP	2007, 2008, 2017, 2022, 2024
		MotoE	2023 Race 1, 2023 Race 2
5	Garelli	125cc	1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987
	KTM	250cc	2008
		Moto3	2013, 2016, 2024
		125cc	2005
4	Derbi	125cc	2000, 2001, 2010
		80cc	1987
3	Minarelli	125cc	1978, 1979, 1980
	Morbidelli	125cc	1977, 1985, 1986
2	Krauser	350cc	1980
		80cc	1986

By year

Year	Track	MotoE				Moto3	Moto2	MotoGP	Report
		Race 1		Race 2
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider		Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
	Silverstone	Iván Ortolá	KTM	Jake Dixon	Kalex	Enea Bastianini	Ducati	Report
		Randy Krummenacher	Ducati	Mattia Casadei	Ducati	David Alonso	Gas Gas	Fermín Aldeguer	Boscoscuro	Aleix Espargaró	Aprilia	Report

Year	Track	Moto3		Moto2		MotoGP		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
2022		Dennis Foggia	Honda	Augusto Fernández	Kalex	Francesco Bagnaia	Ducati	Report
2021		Romano Fenati	Husqvarna	Remy Gardner	Kalex	Fabio Quartararo	Yamaha	Report
2020		align=center colspan=7	Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns
2019		Marcos Ramírez	Honda	Augusto Fernández	Kalex	Álex Rins	Suzuki	Report
2018								Report
2017		Arón Canet	Honda	Takaaki Nakagami	Kalex	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati	Report
2016		Brad Binder	KTM	Thomas Lüthi	Kalex	Maverick Viñales	Suzuki	Report
2015		Danny Kent	Honda	Johann Zarco	Kalex	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	Report
2014		Álex Rins	Honda	Esteve Rabat	Kalex	Marc Márquez	Honda	Report
2013		Luis Salom	KTM	Scott Redding	Kalex	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	Report
2012		Maverick Viñales	FTR-Honda	Pol Espargaró	Kalex	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	Report
Year	Track	125cc		Moto2		MotoGP		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
2011		Jonas Folger	Aprilia		Kalex	Casey Stoner	Honda	Report
2010		Marc Márquez	Derbi		Suter	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	Report
Year	Track	125cc		250cc		MotoGP		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
2009		Julian Simon	Aprilia		Honda	Andrea Dovizioso	Honda	Report
2008		Scott Redding	Aprilia		KTM	Casey Stoner	Ducati	Report
2007		Mattia Pasini	Aprilia		Honda	Casey Stoner	Ducati	Report
2006		Álvaro Bautista	Aprilia		Aprilia	Dani Pedrosa	Honda	Report
2005		Julián Simón	KTM		Aprilia	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	Report
2004		Andrea Dovizioso	Honda		Honda	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	Report
2003		Héctor Barberá	Aprilia		Aprilia	Max Biaggi	Honda	Report
2002		Arnaud Vincent	Aprilia		Aprilia	Valentino Rossi	Honda	Report
Year	Track	125cc		250cc		500cc		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
2001		Youichi Ui	Derbi		Honda	Valentino Rossi	Honda	Report
2000		Youichi Ui	Derbi	Ralf Waldmann	Aprilia	Valentino Rossi	Honda	Report
1999		Masao Azuma	Honda		Aprilia	Àlex Crivillé	Honda	Report
1998		Kazuto Sakata	Aprilia		Aprilia	Simon Crafar	Yamaha	Report
1997		Valentino Rossi	Aprilia		Honda	Mick Doohan	Honda	Report
1996		Stefano Perugini	Aprilia		Aprilia	Mick Doohan	Honda	Report
1995		Kazuto Sakata	Aprilia		Aprilia	Mick Doohan	Honda	Report
1994		Takeshi Tsujimura	Honda		Honda	Kevin Schwantz	Suzuki	Report
1993		Dirk Raudies	Honda		Aprilia	Luca Cadalora	Yamaha	Report
1992		Fausto Gresini	Honda		Aprilia	Wayne Gardner	Honda	Report
1991		Loris Capirossi	Honda		Honda	Kevin Schwantz	Suzuki	Report
1990		Loris Capirossi	Honda	Luca Cadalora	Yamaha	Kevin Schwantz	Suzuki	Report

Year	Track	80cc		125cc		250cc		500cc		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
1989	Donington			Hans Spaan	Honda	Sito Pons	Honda	Kevin Schwantz	Suzuki	Report
1988				Ezio Gianola	Honda	Luca Cadalora	Honda	Wayne Rainey	Yamaha	Report
1987		Jorge Martínez	Derbi	Fausto Gresini	Garelli	Anton Mang	Honda	Eddie Lawson	Yamaha	Report
1986	Silverstone	Ian McConnachie	Krauser	August Auinger	MBA	Dominique Sarron	Honda	Wayne Gardner	Honda	Report
1985				August Auinger	MBA	Anton Mang	Honda	Freddie Spencer	Honda	Report
1984				Ángel Nieto	Garelli	Christian Sarron	Yamaha	Randy Mamola	Honda	Report
Year	Track	50cc		125cc		250cc		500cc		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
1983	Silverstone			Ángel Nieto	Garelli	Jacques Bolle	Pernod	Kenny Roberts	Yamaha	Report

Year	Track	50cc		125cc		250cc		350cc		500cc		Report
		Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer
1982	Silverstone			Ángel Nieto	Garelli	Martin Wimmer	Yamaha	Jean-François Baldé	Kawasaki	Franco Uncini	Suzuki	Report
1981				Ángel Nieto	Garelli	Anton Mang	Kawasaki	Anton Mang	Kawasaki	Jack Middelburg	Suzuki	Report
1980				Loris Reggiani	Minarelli	Kork Ballington	Kawasaki	Anton Mang	Krauser	Randy Mamola	Suzuki	Report
1979				Ángel Nieto	Minarelli	Kork Ballington	Kawasaki	Kork Ballington	Kawasaki	Kenny Roberts	Yamaha	Report
1978				Ángel Nieto	Minarelli	Anton Mang	Kawasaki	Kork Ballington	Kawasaki	Kenny Roberts	Yamaha	Report
1977				Pierluigi Conforti	Morbidelli	Kork Ballington	Yamaha	Kork Ballington	Yamaha	Pat Hennen	Suzuki	Report

Notes and References

1. Web site: Circuit of Wales, Ebbw Vale: MotoGP for circuit . bbc.com . 2014-08-13 . 2017-08-03.
2. Web site: Donington Park to host 2015 MotoGP British Grand Prix . autosport.com . 2014-09-02 . 2017-08-03.
3. Web site: Silverstone to keep MotoGP in 2017, with an option for 2018 . motorsport.com . 2016-09-04 . 2017-08-03.
4. https://www.autosport.com/motogp/news/132958/silverstone-keeps-british-motogp-in-new-deal Silverstone keeps British MotoGP after agreeing three-year deal
5. Web site: British MotoGP washed out by heavy rain - IOL Motoring. www.iol.co.za.
6. Web site: MotoGP: British Grand Prix abandoned due to unsafe track conditions - MCN. www.motorcyclenews.com.
7. Web site: GoPro British Grand Prix is cancelled. Dorna. Sports. www.motogp.com.
8. Web site: 2020 British and Australian Grands Prix cancelled. 29 May 2020. MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. en. 2020-05-29.
9. Web site: Provisional-2023-British-GP-dates-announced. 7 August 2020. MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. en. 2024-03-15.
10. Web site: 1977 500cc Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | the Motor Racing Programme Covers Project.
11. Web site: 1979 500cc Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | the Motor Racing Programme Covers Project.
12. Web site: 1986 500cc Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | the Motor Racing Programme Covers Project.
13. Web site: 1989 500cc Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | the Motor Racing Programme Covers Project.
14. Web site: 1992 500cc Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | the Motor Racing Programme Covers Project.
15. Web site: 1993 500cc Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | the Motor Racing Programme Covers Project.
16. Web site: 1994 500cc Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | the Motor Racing Programme Covers Project.
17. Web site: 1997 500cc Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | the Motor Racing Programme Covers Project.
18. Web site: 2000 500cc Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | the Motor Racing Programme Covers Project.
19. Web site: 2005 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | the Motor Racing Programme Covers Project.
20. Web site: 2006 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | the Motor Racing Programme Covers Project.
21. Web site: 2007 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | the Motor Racing Programme Covers Project.
22. Web site: 2008 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | the Motor Racing Programme Covers Project.
23. Web site: 2010 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | the Motor Racing Programme Covers Project.
24. Web site: 2012 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | the Motor Racing Programme Covers Project.
25. Web site: 2015 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | the Motor Racing Programme Covers Project.
26. Web site: 2018 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | the Motor Racing Programme Covers Project.
27. Web site: 2021 MotoGP Class (FIM Grand Prix World Championship) Programmes | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project. www.progcovers.com.