MOTOGP
2017 FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 12 / AUGUST 27, 2017
SILVERSTONE CIRCUIT / SILVERSTONE, GREAT BRITAIN
P76
Silverstone's continued hosting of
the British GP could come under
threat with a potential return to
Donington Park as soon as next
year. The GP is already on borrowed
time at the Northamptonshire circuit,
owned by the F1-oriented British
Racing Drivers Club. Silverstone
took over the race from Donington in
2010, but then lost it to the planned
Circuit of Wales. But when that proj-
ect was at first delayed, Silverstone
stepped into the breach in 2015, and
with Donington undergoing equally
delayed rebuilding, the race has
stayed at Silverstone ever since.
The Circuit of Wales project was
finally killed off without a sod having
been turned at the proposed Ebbw
Vale site when the local government
refused funds. Meanwhile Donington
Park had now been bought by MSV
(MotorSport Vision), the company
that runs BSB and already owns
five other British circuits, including
Brands Hatch, and is known to be
interested in regaining MotoGP. Rid-
ers canvassed on the potential move
shared similar opinions, regretting
the loss of a fascinating, long and
highly technical lap, but happy if
they can leave the bumps behind.
Silverstone is heavily used, not least
for the British car GP, and the cur-
rent generation of F1 cars generate
more downforce than ever, leading
to ripple-bumps in the braking areas
and potentially (as at the Austrian
GP two weeks ago) badly rubbered-
up surfaces. Riders requested a
resurface last year, but nothing has
been done. As Dovizioso said, "If
we can have new asphalt here, it is
wonderful." But many riders have
fond memories of Donington, with
its swooping corners and hilly layout
making for a superlative bike circuit.
Pedrosa said, "With F1 here you
don't know how long a resurface will
last, but the Donington Park layout,
up and down, is also really nice."
Bradley Smith's position at KTM
looked a mite shaky at his home GP,
after the Austrian company switched
his crew chief from long-standing
regular Tom Jojic to test-team crew
Briefly...
Cal Crutchlow came
up one spot shy of
giving the home crowd
a podium finish.
