Sunday MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 race recaps from Silverstone

2024 MotoGP World Championship
Round Ten – Silverstone
Sunday

After a dream Saturday, it was a stunning performance on a special Sunday for Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team), who capped off a historic weekend at the Monster Energy British Grand Prix with a win.

Bastianini became the 10th different rider to take victory at Silverstone in the last ten events at the track, storming through late on to put himself third in the title fight and only 49 points off the top. Meanwhile, the top of the standings once again belongs to Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) as the Spaniard led the majority of the Grand Prix before proving unable to deny Bastianini.

Reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) secured the final spot on the podium as he bounced back from a crash on Saturday, but the 16-point haul on Sunday puts him back behind Martin by three. It was his 43rd MotoGP podium, all on a Ducati, which makes him the rider with the most podiums taken with Ducati.

MotoGP Race Report

Pecco Bagnaia claimed the holeshot on the run to Turn 1 after a phenomenal launch ahead of Bastianini and Martin.

While it was a great start from Bagnaia, it was a tougher opening lap from polesitter Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), who dropped to fourth position after some shuffling, with Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) moving briefly past the Aprilia before being demoted to P5 once more.

Unfortunately, it was an early end to the Grand Prix for Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who suffered an issue at the race start. Later on in the opening lap, Trackhouse Racing’s Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez races also came to an end, crashing out.

Bagnaia led from Bastianini, but Martin was quick to make his way past Bastianini, who then soon dropped back to fourth after Espargaro found a way through. Marc Marquez was also close on the chase as the top five started to break away, but Bagnaia was holding station at the front.

Further back, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) began to battle for seventh position. Di Giannantonio found his way through on Acosta and then began to duel with Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) in sixth, with the two exchanging some paintwork and the VR46 rider even doing the Moto3 classic: tapping the rear of the seat to say “follow me”.

Meanwhile at the front, tension was building as Martin homed in, looking for an opportunity to pounce on Bagnaia in the lead. He took over at the front for the first time on Lap 12, making the move stick on the entry to Turn 3. Behind the leading duo, Bastianini then found a gap in Espargaro’s armour – entering the provisional podium places.

However, Martin ran wide at Turn 13 one lap later, putting Bagnaia and Bastianini right back on his tail. The next move inside the top three came from Bastianini though, who overtook his team-mate for second as Pecco suffered a front end moment. The ‘Beast’ immediately started to pull back the gap to Martin.

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It was six laps to go and seven-tenths up the road to Martin. Slowly but surely, that was creeping down. It was agonising progress though, with hundredths and tenths making the difference as Bastianini edged further and further forward. By the penultimate lap he was there and suddenly Martin was wide once and then again at Turn 3, on second time of asking too wide to defend it. Bastianini was through and headed over the line in the lead as the final lap began.

In only one lap, Bastianini put together a fantastic end to the British Grand Prix, stretching out a magnificent gap to cross the line and create history ahead of Martin and team-mate Bagnaia, who claimed the final spot on the podium.

Marc Marquez took fourth after a late charge at Pecco but unable to arrive, and he had his own closing gap to deal with as Di Giannantonio climbed from 10th on the grid to fifth at the chequered flag. Polesitter Espargaro took sixth and was being chased by Alex Marquez, the Gresini Racing rider finishing a mere 0.227s behind.

Meanwhile, Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) took eighth ahead of Acosta in ninth. The rookie had another strong point-scoring finish and was ahead of Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing), who battled through the field to take the final spot inside the top 10 after his two Long Lap penalties after the incident on Saturday.

Jack Miller fought for the top ten but eventually had to ease to 12th as he struggled to get his rear tyre to work. Miller scored for points and now sits 16th in the championship standings.

Countryman Remy Gardner was engaged in battle with Takaaki Nakagami for much of the race. The Australian managed to keep his Japanese rival at bay for a few laps, but ultimately had to let him pass. The Australian then focused on his own riding. With Joan Mir retiring from the race with 9 laps to go, Gardner crossed the finish line in 18th position, 59.137s from first, and with useful feedback for the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Test Team.

After an incredible weekend in vintage colours making a little more history, the world’s most exciting sport now returns in two weeks for the Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich. There are just three points in it and a new name in third overall as the ‘Beast’ starts to gain some momentum…

MotoGP Silverstone Race Results

Silverstone MotoGP Top Speeds Across Weekend

MotoGP Championship Standings

Moto2

Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) has become just the fourth British rider to win on home turf since 1977 after a last-lap pass on Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) sealed victory for the Silverstone crowd hero, as only 0.177s splits the duo at the chequered flag. Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took P3 to pocket his first rostrum of the year, as drama unfolds in the Moto2 title race.

Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) got a perfect getaway from pole position with Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) getting ahead of Canet for P2 off the line. Dixon was getting his elbows out in the opening exchanges as the British rider climbed from P5 off the line to P3, with Canet quickly getting to the front of the field after losing a place at the start.

On Lap 3, Canet led by just over half a second from Dixon, with Ogura battling away with the fast-starting Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) and Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team). Meanwhile, after dropping to P24 on Lap 1, Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) recovered to P14 on Lap 4.

With 12 to go, Dixon had reeled in Canet, with Roberts passing Ogura for P3. Moreira’s strong showing ended at Turn 6 on Lap 5, and then, Roberts crashed out a lap later at Turn 2. This left Canet and Dixon with a 3.8s buffer to Albert Arenas (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2), with Ogura now P4 and Garcia up to P9.

As the battle for the final podium raged, 7.6s up the road was a fight for British GP victory between Canet and Dixon. Heading onto the last lap, Dixon pounced at Turn 1 – and it was a move that stuck. A small error from Canet cost him time and despite his best efforts, Dixon held onto the lead and crossed the line to become the first British rider to win on home soil since 2015. Canet settled for a close P2, with Vietti unleashing some great late-race pace to secure P3.

Garcia’s climb back through the field ended in the World Championship leader claiming a fantastic P4 to extend his Championship lead, with Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2) and Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) completing the top six. Jeremy Alcoba (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team), Arenas, Alonso Lopez (GT Trevisan SpeedUp) and Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) were also inside the top 10 as two title contenders – Fermin Aldeguer (GT Trevisan SpeedUp) and Ogura – come home in a disappointing P12 and P14 respectively.

Dixon etches his name into British GP folklore at Silverstone, as Garcia heads to Austria with an 18-point lead over Ogura.

Jake Dixon – P1

“It is a dream come true. Had they told me at the beginning of the weekend that I was going to win, I would not have believed it. I have fought for it, and today I knew I could do it. After last year’s disappointment, winning today is incredible. I am very happy. I have just waited for my moment. The team has done an amazing job, and I hope we can win many more races from now on. I believe in myself more and more. I did not have any doubts today, I knew I could put on a special show.”

Moto2 rookie Senna Agius delivered another strong performance, starting the tenth round of the World Championship in twentieth place. The young Australian catapulted up six positions within the first 5.901km lap and took up the pursuit of the top 10. The 19-year-old gradually made his way into the points and on to a strong tenth place, where he fought bravely and left some well-known rivals behind. And he did so on a track on which he had never raced before. These six further world championship points underpin the contract extension announced this weekend between the talented youngster and the German LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Moto2 team beyond the 2024 season.

Senna Agius – P10

“It’s certainly not a bad result today, but I’m a bit disappointed with myself because I didn’t manage the race perfectly in the middle. I missed out on a better result there today, because the pace was there to be in the top six or seven, or let’s say a few positions further up. But we know that we finished in the top 10. That’s not too bad considering that we started a bit further back on the grid than normal. That made my life a bit more difficult for me. Nevertheless, I’m happy with the work we’ve done, and I’d like to thank the team for their help this weekend. We have been working hard since Friday because Silverstone is not the easiest of tasks for a rookie. But with 10th place on a tough weekend, we have scored important points and increased the gap in the rookie standings. I’m glad that we can start the second part of the season like this.”

Moto2 Silverstone Race Results

Moto2 Silverstone Top Speeds Across Weekend

Moto2 Championship Standings

Moto3

Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) claimed a phenomenal Monster Energy British Grand Prix victory as a fierce lightweight class battle plays out at Silverstone. David Alonso (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team) grabbed P2 as the fight for the win went down to the wire, with Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) rounding out a podium trio that was split by 0.103s at the chequered flag.

Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports) pinched the holeshot from the front row as a Moto3 freight train formed at the front. Unfortunately for the home crowd, Scott Ogden’s (Fibre Tec Honda – MLav Racing) British GP ended prematurely as the #19 couldn’t avoid Angel Piqueras’ stricken Leopard Racing Honda at Turn 18 on Lap 2.

Back at the front, Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) was one rider who had a turn at leading the race before heading into the final six laps, Ortola threatened to break clear. 0.4s was the #48’s gap, but after two laps, the chasers reeled the Spaniard back in.

What followed was a frantic scrap for positions in the closing two laps. It was elbows out and Moto3 racing at its finest. On the last lap, Veijer held the P1 baton, with former race leader Alonso shoved to P4. The Colombian bagged a two-for-one deal at Brooklands on the final lap to pounce up to P2 though, before Ortola bit back at Copse.

From leading the race at the start of the lap, Veijer was P3 heading into the final sector as the race down the Hangar Straight saw Ortola just about hold onto P1, as he shut the door on title rival Alonso down at Stowe. The latter then expertly lunged up the inside of Veijer at Vale to pinch P2 off the Dutchman, with Ortola holding onto the race win despite running wide at Turn 16.

Holgado settled for P4, 0.107s away from the win, as Stefano Nepa (LEVELUP – MTA) closed out the top five to secure his best finish of 2024. Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) in sixth and Kelso in seventh were also less than a second away from the win, as Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Tatsuki Suzuki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) were the riders to claim top 10s at Silverstone.

A spellbinding Silverstone outing sees Alonso head to the Red Bull Ring 53 points clear of Ortola in the Championship chase.

With seventh place Joel Kelso solidified his place inside the top ten in the championship points standings.

Joel Kelso – P7

“Now that’s racing! Over the summer break, we took a step back and looked at where I truly needed to improve parts of my riding. We found a direction, and it seems to be working! It was a great race today, being able to lead some laps but also fight through the pack on multiple occasions. I had a plan going into the last lap but just wasn’t able to pull it off. We will go back and look at those last two laps to see where we can improve. Thank you to all my fans for the support this weekend. Let’s keep the good times rolling!”

Rookie Jacob Roulstone was starting from the second row after a great weekend so far in Silverstone. When lights went out at 1115 for the 15-lap contest, the Aussie missed out a bit on his start, losing a few positions in the first corners. A contact with David Munoz saw both riders head to the gravel, without crashing, but still, everything had to be redone as Jacob found himself at the back. Shortly after, Roulstone had to complete a long-lap penalty he was handed by the race direction, due to irresponsible riding on the Munoz action. Once that was completed, he was in P20. Hopes of a great result were gone for the rookie who had done such an amazing job this weekend, but from there, he had to focus on his pace, and try catching up on the rest, to eventually target a point-scoring position. On lap 7, he passed through Noah Dettwiler, one position gained. On to the next one, as his lap times were faster than the two riders ahead of him. With similar lap times to the front group of the race, Roulstone then overtook Tatchakorn Buarsi, making it to P18 with five laps to go. One more rider passed, and Jacob completed the British Grand Prix in P17. It is a disappointing result for the young rookie who had better objectives, but the team will analyse today’s events before heading to the next round in Austria.

Jacob Roulstone – P17

“First of all, I would like to apologise to David Munoz and his team. I took a really bad start, and stressed myself a lot because I knew that I needed to stick with the front group. It is unlucky what happened, nothing was intentional, I completed my long-lap penalty, and once that was done, I tried to re-focus, and got into a good pace. I am disappointed of course, because our weekend had been great in Silverstone. Let’s regroup, and focus on the next round in Austria, a key stop as it is home to Pierer Mobility, where we’ve been before with the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup!”

Moto3 Silverstone Race Results

Moto3 Silverstone Top Speeds Across Weekend

Moto3 Championship Standings