After the unexpected outcome of the French GP, MotoGP crosses the Channel for the UK GP, which has replaced, in name only, the British GP, a denomination in use since 1977.
The first edition took place at Silverstone, which remained the venue until 1987 when it was replaced by Donington, itself replaced by Silverstone again in 2010.
The GP data
According to Brembo technicians who work closely with all MotoGP riders, the 5.9 km Silverstone Circuit falls into the category of medium-demanding tracks for brakes.
On a scale from 1 to 6, it has a difficulty index of 3, featuring 11 braking zones: 5 classified as Hard, 2 as Medium, and 4 as Light.
Brakes are used for 37 seconds per lap, which is 32 percent of the race duration.
Riders experience deceleration over 1 g in 7 corners, peaking at 1.5 g in two of them.
The toughest corner
The most demanding corner at Silverstone Circuit for the braking system is Turn 15: MotoGP bikes go from 324 km/h to 118 km/h in exactly 5 seconds, covering 282 meters, while riders apply 6 kg of force on the brake lever. Deceleration reaches 1.5 g, Brembo brake fluid pressure peaks at 12.9 bar, and carbon disc temperatures rise to 720 °C.
Parity
With Johann Zarco’s victory at the French GP aboard the LCR team’s Honda, Ducati’s streak of consecutive wins in the premier class came to an end: 22 straight victories for the Borgo Panigale manufacturer, equaling the record set by Honda from the 1997 Malaysian GP to the 1998 Dutch TT.
Third in this ranking is MV Agusta with 20 consecutive wins during the 1968–1969 seasons. Suzuki never exceeded 8 wins in a row in the 500cc era, and Yamaha even stopped at 6 — the same as Gilera.
Ten years ago
The rain that affected the French GP could also make an appearance at the UK GP. In 2018, due to heavy rainfall at Silverstone, the race was canceled.
The last MotoGP race in Britain affected by rain was in 2015: on that day, riders caught out by the wet surface included Miller, Crutchlow, Marc Marquez, Bradl, Pol Espargaró, and Abraham. At the time, MotoGP riders used steel brake discs in wet conditions, considering them more effective than carbon in such weather.
Always and only carbon
Should it rain this year, MotoGP riders will still opt for carbon discs, the same ones used on bikes during the French GP. This is thanks to the improved quality of carbon and the disc covers that help maintain optimal temperatures, making it easier to reach the minimum operating range.
Being lighter than steel, carbon does not compromise the bike’s dynamic behavior and ensures superior performance both in single braking events and over the full race distance.