Silverstone MotoGP Sold Out, Maverick Vinales Signs with Aprilia & Cal Crutchlow Promoted to Fabio Quartararo’s Teammate!
This weekend we have a sold-out MotoGP weekend at Silverstone and what a sight it will be to witness the teams, riders and fans enjoy an event which is guaranteed to treat us to battles, happiness and mental challenges amongst rivals. The weather appears to be lovely this weekend though we know at Silverstone it can change suddenly and throw a curve ball. With that said, Fabio Quartararo is the one who is to be hunted by fellow rivals Pecco Bagnaia, Joan Mir, Jack Miller, Johann Zarco and Brad Binder. Regardless of having a significant points lead, remaining fit, healthy, and focused are crucial elements to ensure success in a sport that can sometimes be hard on your emotions. The emotions got the better of Maverick Vinales who terminated mutually with Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team and is now joining Aprilia, which could see him on track earlier than anticipated as a result of Lorenzo Savadori having a broken arm. What we do know for sure is that we will see Vinales on track with the Aprilia at two-day test at Misano from 31st August to 1st September 2021 which will be intriguing and no doubt all eyes fixated on his performance. New teammate Aleix Espargaro is excited because he has worked with Vinales before and also wants younger talent to bring forward the results. The dream for Espargaro is to put the Aprilia on the podium and also win. Vinales may just be the rider to succeed with them and also have a different approach now that he has left the Yamaha environment.
In terms of never thinking he would return, Cal Crutchlow is one of the luckiest test riders, now promoted to the lead role alongside Quartararo. It is nice to see Crutchlow return on a factory machine at Silverstone as well because he will have fun and enjoy riding with minimal pressure. Crutchlow is a quality rider and knows what to do in order to fulfill his obligations with the team. This weekend will have a different tone as a result of the complications experienced across varying teams, changes and also the future of 2022. In the meantime, we are going to be treated to fans yelling, cheering, laughing, and having a great time trackside. Silverstone is such a dynamic circuit and will push riders to find the limit and some going above and beyond that limit which exists.
Fabio Quartararo:
“I’m starting the British GP with a very positive mood. We extended our championship lead after Spielberg, and Silverstone is a circuit that I really love. We made a big step there in 2019 in terms of performance. I think that this race will be a good one if the conditions are good. If it rains, we'll have to see, but in any case, we will do our best. My goal is to fight for the victory, firstly because this is one my favourite tracks and secondly because it’s an important GP for the team.”
Cal Crutchlow:
“I am happy to be riding for Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP at the British Grand Prix. It was nice to get back to riding in Austria after a long time off, so I am now looking forward to racing for the Factory Team and working with my Test Team Crew Chief Silvano Galbusera and all of the team members, that I know well.”
Maverick Vinales:
“Following our mutual decision in Assen to part ways a year early, it was also decided to commit to completing the current season with maximum effort from both sides. However, at the Styrian GP the race didn’t turn out as we had hoped, and regrettably it did not end well. “After thorough consideration both parties have agreed it would be best to end the partnership with immediate effect. “I am deeply grateful to Yamaha for the great opportunity. I am also thankful for the support they gave me during these 4.5 years of racing and will look back with pride on the results we achieved together. “I will always have great respect for Yamaha and wish them the very best.”
With the results of the last race, Marc Marquez will be aiming high after admitting he had concerns he would never be able to ride again as a result of his injury to his arm. It is nice to see the Spanish rider finding confidence to push and lead the charge for Honda once again because they need him! Whilst they are aiming for results in 2021, the focus is also on what the bike requires for 2022 in order to be competitive and Marquez learning the Michelin tyres to the best of his advantage. When those tyres were introduced in 2020, Marquez did not have track time to learn them so he is doing the hard work now. A true competitor driven to be the best. The dynamics across the Honda brand at the moment are mixed so results at the top to middle of the grid are vital in order to continue their ambitions to be World Champions once again.
Marc Marquez:
“It will be great to see the British fans again after a year away. Racing in Austria with fans in the stands was enjoyable, so I am looking forward to doing it again in England! Our position between the races has not changed, this weekend is again all about working to improve and seeing what’s possible on Sunday. Last race we had the speed and were able to fight, but Silverstone is a very different circuit, and many can be strong there.”
With so many differing manufactures being fast, Ducati have their sights set on beating Quartararo in whatever way they can and are relying on Bagnaia, Miller, Zarco and Jorge Martin to shake things up. Miller did not have the success they anticipated in Austria and Bagnaia was so close to victory though missed out just purely based on the conditions and lack of experience to make a judgment call. The lessons are going to be important for this weekend where the Ducati will want to make its mark as the last race was 2019 at this circuit. The anticipation is massive and the expectation also quite substantial working for the Italian manufacturer. We know from the first session; Miller and his co-Ducati teammates need to be on top of the time sheets with a strong set up. Mistakes cannot be made and confidence has to be at an all-time high.
Francesco Bagnaia:
"In the last race at the Red Bull Ring, in Austria, we came very close to victory once again, and this confirms that we are working well. Now we are second in the Championship, and it is crucial to continue to be consistent to get as close as possible to the top of the standings. Silverstone is a less favourable track for the characteristics of our bike than Zeltweg, but if we can concentrate from Friday's free practice onwards, we can be competitive. As always, here in England, the weather will play an important role, so we have to be ready to adapt to any track conditions".
Jack Miller:
"The last two races in Austria didn't exactly go as we hoped, so we come to Silverstone determined to move on and get a good result. In 2019, in the last GP held here, I had managed to get a front-row start and felt I could do well in the race, but unfortunately, a problem did not allow me to do so. In England, the weather is always uncertain, so we'll have to work hard from the first sessions to be ready for Sunday's race under any circumstances."
As we move down the garages, Suzuki are still wanting to improve and be competitive enough when it comes to straight line speed and overall performance. Mir is doing the best he can and Alex Rins still is lagging behind which is intriguing considering his talent and performance in 2020. The memories of 2019 are sure to help Rins want to perform as he had success winning the race, although he is already anticipating a tough race due to the performance levels of his fellow competitors and teammate. The same can be said for Rossi and newcomer Jake Dixon who is filling in for the injured Franco Morbidelli. Rossi is aware of how strong the grid is, the closeness in lap times as well as having a teammate who has never ridden a MotoGP bike before debuting after being called up from Moto2 with Crutchlow taking the main role at Yamaha as a result of the Vinales debacle. It is the call you do not say “no” to and everyone is informing Dixon to remain calm, do the job, have fun, and not psyche himself out.
Joan Mir:
“Every race this year is tougher because everybody is so competitive, the bikes are pretty equally matched, so it means that we are fighting harder to reach our goals. But as we’ve shown, even at tracks which don’t really suit our bike, like Austria, we’ve achieved good things. Silverstone will be strange and interesting for me because I’ve never ridden here on a MotoGP bike, so it’s been a long time since I’ve attacked the track - I’ll need to keep practicing on the PlayStation!”
Alex Rins:
“I hope I can get a really good result here, but it will be difficult because all the bikes are very close on performance. But anyway I feel that our GSX-RR suits this track well and I really like riding here, so hopefully that will give us a little advantage. The memories from here in 2019 are still so fresh in my mind; it was incredible to win like that after a battle with Marc, and the celebrations with my team were fantastic. My crew have been working really hard this year and I would like to give them another good reason to celebrate!”
Valentino Rossi:
I really like Silverstone; it’s a great track and is one of my favourites. It’s long and has everything there: fast parts, medium ones, and it’s very technical in places. Usually we are quite strong there, so hopefully this will be the case again this year, and I hope that we have good weather this weekend. I think the weather forecast is okay at the moment but you have to be ready for everything there – it can start dry and end wet, or only be wet in some places. I’m really looking forward to being back there this weekend.
Jake Dixon:
This weekend will be difficult, jumping on the big bike for the first time at my home GP, but I’m really looking forward to it. It’s always exciting to be racing at home, but this year it’s going to be extra special. The home support is always amazing there, I love the track and I think it’s going to be a great experience. To have a big crowd there and the knowledge of the circuit is really going to help me this weekend, although I’m obviously not looking for any particular result. I’m just going to go out and enjoy it!
In other news, PETRONAS Sepang Racing Team will cease to be at the end of the 2021 MotoGP World Championship season. This is taking place across all three classes. “PETRONAS Sepang Racing Team Principal Razlan Razali and Team Director Johan Stigefelt will continue in the MotoGP category from 2022 onwards with a new entity.” However, this will not be announced until September 16 at the Misano Grand Prix. Who knows, maybe we will see Andrea Dovizioso back in the sport and a new major sponsor bringing about new competition that will encourage further World Championship battles. We know that Razali and Stigefelt are very hungry for success! At present, there a few gaps that need to be filled across teams like this one, the remaining Yamaha Monster Energy seat, Valentino Rossi’s Saudi sponsorship deal which appears to have passed its press release deadline and what it means for those riders working under the brand.
With such an exciting second half of the season to come, we are ready for the on-track battles, off-track mind games and of course teammates going head-to-head in order to beat one another. Tune in and enjoy the Silverstone Grand Prix this weekend.
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