The English midlands is the site of round twelve of the 2016 MotoGP World Championship. We are at the legendary, iconic Silverstone circuit. We look at the tire allocation sheet, and see for slick tires, Michelin offers the hard (yellow), medium (black), and soft (white) compounds on the front, and the medium and soft compounds on the rear, for slicks, as well as medium and soft for front and rear, and extra soft for a front tire. Riders have had limited track time to evaluate these tires. Nerves everywhere, just like at Brno in the Czech Republic, last time out. The riders are on their sighting lap right now. Maverick Vinales tested another tire allocation, but switched back to one he'd decided on earlier.
Winner at Brno, Cal Crutchlow, is the pole man, for his home race, having broken a 35 year drought of no British winners in the top category of world championship motorcycle racing. No British rider has won the premier class at their home Grand Prix. Barry Sheene, also holds the distinction of being the last rider to win back-to-back races in a season, and he did so in 1977. This is Crutchlow's third MotoGP podium, and it is his first front row start since 2014 at Phillip Island in Australia, when he rode for Ducati. A sea of yellow in the grandstand for Valentino Rossi. Andrea Dovizioso is dealing with a knee ligament injury. We see that Dani Pedrosa will roll off fourth on the grid. Pedrosa had his best qualifying run since June, and he qualified faster than team mate Marc Marquez. Marc Marquez and Jorge Lorenzo have the softer option front tire, and have the medium option rear, after initially deciding to use the hard compound.
It is dry here in England. Jorge Lorenzo is ninth. He will have a bit of work to do. Eugene Laverty rolls off sixth. He's had a great season, but, this could be his last British MotoGP race. Scott Redding is seventh. Alex Lowes is making his first MotoGP start. He is a World Superbike regular. Andrea Iannone is eighth. He could get a podium in this race. Again, Jorge Lorenzo is ninth. Andrea Dovizioso completes the top ten. Aleix Espargaro is 11th on the second Suzuki. Suzuki is going to be running their GSX-RR in ideal conditions today. Could they be in with a shout for the win? We'll see.
Jack Miller has had some crashes here in England, starting 12th. He's back on the bike. Loris Baz is 13th. He finished fourth at Brno, and is a two-time World Superbike winner here at Silverstone in 2012 and 2013. Danilo Petrucci is 14th. Ducati will be using soft/soft tire setups. Worries are more about Andrea Dovizioso's knee, and with painkillers, he should be OK. We are set for a dry race. Alex Lowes rolls off 16th. Stefan Bradl is 17th. He is going to be a World Superbike rider in 2017. 18th is Hector Barbera. Barbera won in 125cc in 2003 at Donington Park. Dani Pedrosa switches from medium to soft compound on the rear tire. Five minutes to go before we get underway here in England.
We have a 20 lap race coming up. No more talk. Only concentrate, and race. 21 bikes on the grid. One more sighting lap before we get underway. No rain has fallen. The track and air temperature is the same. 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees Fahrenheit). Will we have a flag to flag race? It could be. Spare bikes have a dry setup now, but might get swapped for a wet setup. Nearly 74,000 people are in attendance for this race. Can Cal Crutchlow continue to re-write the history books? The points coming into this race see Marc Marquez leading Valentino Rossi by 53 markers (197-144). Jorge Lorenzo is 59 points behind on 139. Dani Pedrosa in fourth, is 88 points back, on 109 total. Crutchlow vs. Rossi vs. Vinales on the front row. We're set to race. Red light, on. Red light, out! Away we go!
Crutchlow and Rossi start well. Andrea Iannone bogs down slightly. Rossi leads into Copse corner for the first time. Rossi won this race in 2015. Vinales fights back and goes for the lead into Maggots/Becketts. Oh my! Lap one, massive shunt! This race might be red flagged. Maverick Vinales rides towards Stowe. Vinales is flying away from everyone, and Eugene Laverty is second into Vale! But, we have a stopped race. It's a red flag. Pol Espargaro on one of the Tech3 Yamaha's has wrecked and so has one of the Avintia privateer Ducati's. Loris Baz was the one to crash in Maggots/Becketts. It was Loris Baz. His motorcycle is written off at this stage. There's heavy damage.
Medics are assisting Pol Espargaro on the stretcher. He could be hurt. Pol Espargaro and Loris Baz were the two riders involved. Alex Lowes was not. Looking at the replay, that was a vicious smash. An absolute heart stopper. This race will be restarted, and have a lap deleted, for a total of 19 laps. The track is being cleaned up, and riders wait. Rossi got the race lead right from the start. Riders down the order like Stefan Bradl, Alvaro Bautista, and Danilo Petrucci, were lucky to escape this incident. Will the riders decide to change tires? We'll find out. Maverick Vinales was well on his way in the lead after the red lights went out.
Marc Marquez and Scott Redding, touched, right at the start. That was another close moment, into Copse corner. Into Copse, there's a big bump on the road. Loris Baz is conscious as the doctors examine him. The track will need to be cleaned up. Pol Espargaro, is someone we have to hear about. Jack Miller had a huge crash in qualifying, into Woodcote corner. Stefan Bradl will switch to the hard option front tire. We will have a quick restart, and 19 laps scheduled. The restart is in oh, six to ten minutes. Will Pol Espargaro come back into this race?
The British MotoGP race has been on the calendar, here at Silverstone in 1977. Where did the riders and bikes race before? Well, they did so, when the amazing, daunting, spectacular Isle of Man TT was on the world championship calendar, at the 37 mile Snaefell Mountain Course in Douglas, on the Isle of Man. We will restart this entire race, as mentioned. Pol Espargaro's condition is still uncertain, but he will likely be OK. Michelin has said no one has changed tire compounds. Only Stefan Bradl changed. Pole position at Silverstone, does not yield a hole shot, on the outside of the road.
Pit lane will open soon, in less than a minute. Pit lane is now open. Marc Marquez changed his front tire, and Valentino Rossi switched to new tires on both ends. Pit lane is now closed. Pol Espargaro did not get back to the box. Game over. 19 riders start for 19 laps. The grid clears quickly. We're set for a restart. Completely new race. We are on a warmup lap to heat up the tires, and then, after that, we'll be off and running. We've got updated weather. 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees Fahrenheit), air temperature. 19 degrees Celsius (66 degrees Fahrenheit), track temperature. There's a gusty northwest wind, but it won't be a factor to the big 1000cc bikes.
Valentino Rossi will have to win, here at Silverstone (as he did in 2015), if he wants to cut into Marc Marquez's lead in the championship. Second start, of MotoGP, here in Britain. Round twelve of the championship. Red light, on. Red light, out! Away we go, here at home of British motorsport! Rossi and Cal Crutchlow have good starts, while Maverick Vinales drops behind a little bit. Cal Crutchlow leads his home race through Maggots/Becketts for the first time. Vinales is right in Rossi's face as we get started here in jolly old. They fly at 320 kilometers an hour, down Hangar straight for the first time. 320 clicks, well, that's dead on 200 miles an hour, on a motorcycle! Can you believe it?!
Rossi goes inside Crutchlow into Stowe, and Maverick Vinales wants to outdo both of them! Crutchlow holds firm for the moment. Vinales makes his move on the brakes past Rossi. Andrea Iannone, meanwhile, flies past three riders! He picks off Scott Redding, Dani Pedrosa, and Jorge Lorenzo. Maverick Vinales takes the lead into Abbey. Marquez bravely dives around Rossi into The Loop for the first time. They fly down the Wellington straight and into Brooklands. They will complete the lap heading through Luffield and Woodcote. Let's look at the top fifteen, well, actually the top 19 riders.
1. Maverick Vinales
2. Cal Crutchlow
3. Marc Marquez
4. Valentino Rossi
5. Andrea Iannone
6. Dani Pedrosa
7. Scott Redding
8. Jorge Lorenzo
9. Andrea Dovizioso
10. Aleix Espargaro
11. Jack Miller
12. Eugene Laverty
13. Danilo Petrucci
14. Stefan Bradl
15. Alvaro Bautista
16. Yonny Hernandez
17. Alex Lowes
18. Tito Rabat
19. Hector Barbera
Crutchlow gets passed by Marc Marquez, and Valentino Rossi also wants a piece of him. Marc Marquez is up to second. Crutchlow tries inside Valentino Rossi another time. No dice. Ah. Marc Marquez. But still, no dice. Vinales is looking for his first ever Grand Prix motorcycle victory. Vinales uncorks the first fast lap of this race on lap two, at 2:02.339. Vinales is a former Moto3 winner here at Silverstone. The last time a Suzuki finished on the podium here at Silverstone in a Grand Prix motorcycle race, it was during the glory days of the 500cc era. Randy Mammola scored a podium in 1983. Australian, Chris Vermuellen was the last Suzuki rider to win in MotoGP, back in 2007.
Stefan Bradl has had a big crash, clipping the back of Eugene Laverty. Game over for Bradl in his last MotoGP race in Britain. Scott Redding, from ninth spot, has also crashed out. He crashed between Vale and Club. Vinales leads, but there are at least six other bikes and riders in their own battles right now too. Vinales leads by 1.3 seconds as we start lap four. Cal Crutchlow brings the large group of rcontenders, closer to Marc Marquez. Crutchlow and Rossi just cannot pass Marquez at the moment. Crutchlow tries to pass, and can't quite do it. There's still sixteen laps left. Crutchlow and Rossi can't pass Marquez into Brooklands.
Shoot out of Aintree corner and onto Hangar straight. Maverick Vinales has had just one podium for Suzuki in 2016, and it came in France, at Le Mans, in May. For the upcoming 2017 season, Vinales pairs with Valentino Rossi at Yamaha. Rossi is trying to find a way past Crutchlow. Rossi can sense that Vinales is checking out to a distance that he's not going to claw back. Rossi cuts back by Crutchlow and sticks the move into Brooklands. Rossi is third. He tried at Village and it didn't work, but it did at Brooklands. At the back of the group, Andrea Iannone and Dani Pedrosa are hanging on by their fingernails.
Rossi is charging, and he nabs Marquez for second. Dani Pedrosa passes Andrea Iannone for fifth. Marquez is closing on Rossi, and fast. Marquez runs wide into Abbey. The Rossi/Marquez scrum still rages through Woodcote and across the line. Vinales leads by 2.5 seconds. What does Valentino Rossi have left in the locker? He is using the hard compound Michelin tire. Scott Redding has crashed again. Redding is not having a good outing in his home Grand Prix. Vinales wants this win, and he will ride for Yamaha this year as we've already stated. The cool weather here at Silverstone is working to Suzuki's advantage. They don't run as well in the heat.
Dani Pedrosa has made his way past Andrea Iannone. Jorge Lorenzo is eighth with the second Suzuki in ninth, piloted by Aleix Espargaro. We are one lap to halfway. Rossi holds firm in second, as Maverick Vinales is running away with the race here in England. Dani Pedrosa is following Rossi, Marquez, and Crutchlow. Rossi is not able to break Marc Marquez's resolve. Marquez wobbles in Copse corner. Crutchlow takes third. Andrea Iannone is pushing Dani Pedrosa, wanting to make a pass. Vinales is whistling off into the distance. Crutchlow closes on Rossi, but realizes he's not close enough to make a move.
The last time Suzuki won a MotoGP race, was in 2007, with Chris Vermuellen in the wet at Le Mans. Crutchlow, Marquez, and Ianonne are all still pushing hard. Points as they run, at halfway, sees the gap reduced, between Marquez and Rossi, to 44 points. 208-164. Lorenzo and Vinales in third and fourth, would be 63 and 83 points behind, respectively. Andrea Iannone has passed Cal Crutchlow for third. Vinales and Iannone are the two riders in the 2:02 range. Everyone else runs in the 2:03 bracket. Iannone is scything through the field like a knife through butter. Rossi tries to pass Iannone! He outbrakes Iannone into Stowe! Rossi is through!
Maverick Vinales now leads by 4.3 seconds. Cal Crutchlow wants to make a move on Iannone into Farm curve. Forget the Monster Mash. This is the motorcycle mash! Andrea Dovizioso is seventh, right at the back of this five way train for second spot. This scrum is akin to a Moto3 race. Rossi is still trying Iannone. But, he's not close enough. Marquez passes Crutchlow, and Aleix Espargaro will have a small penalty for going off the road. Crutchlow makes a brilliant pass on Marquez! ...And, he also scythes past Rossi, on the inside! Crutchlow is on the podium, in third. Andrea Iannone is managing the soft option Michelin tires well.
Meanwhile, Marc Marquez makes a pass on Valentino Rossi. Rossi wants to re-pass Marquez into Brooklands. This battle is personal. But, just ahead of these two, Andrea Iannone wipes out! Ugh! Iannone crashes out of second, in Luffield corner. Crutchlow moves to second with the Ducati's demise, and the Rossi/Marquez fight is now for third, and the last step on the podium. Marquez wanted to take the gloves off and fight Rossi, but instead, he goes off the road. He'll come back on track in front of team mate Dani Pedrosa. The red mist appears with Marquez. He's not done yet, folks.
Marquez thinks he'll get by Rossi. No way! Rossi is coming back, hard! Side by side stuff here folks. This is nuts! Marquez steals the spot back, diving under Rossi. Maverick Vinales is in complete control, five seconds to the good over Cal Crutchlow. Crutchlow is breaking away from the Marquez/Rossi fight. Points as they run, sees Marquez on 213, leading by 56 over Rossi, on 157. Crutchlow almost loses the bike into Brooklands! Whoa! Marquez has gone around Rossi for third. Suzuki team boss Davide Brivio can barely watch. Ironically, Brivio helped move Valentino Rossi from Honda to Yamaha and masterminded a lot of Rossi's Yamaha wins in the early 2000s.
With a big wobble, Crutchlow falls back into the clutches of Marc Marquez. Crutchlow throws the block on Marquez. He blinks, and runs wide. Forget throwing the block. Marquez, sees the open door. But will he slam it in Crutchlow's face? Yes. Marquez passes Crutchlow and makes it stick. Two laps left. Crutchlow could get back at Marquez. Crutchlow makes another move. That door isn't locked yet. Don't throw away the key. Crutchlow has the inside line. Hang on to your hollyhocks here! Rossi is fading, fast. Marquez dives inside on the brakes. He sweeps past Crutchlow. But, it's no use. Brakes, daddy-o. Brakes! Marquez goes in way too hot! Marquez is off the road, and I mean, way off.
Marquez has given way to Rossi and has no chance now of recovery. We wondered. Would Marquez throw caution to the wind? He did. It backfired, hugely. All Marquez could do, when he knew he couldn't get by Crutchlow, was evasively dive for the car park. What a ride though, for Maverick Vinales. Marquez works on Dani Pedrosa, into Brooklands. Vinales, Crutchlow, Rossi, should be the podium, with one lap left. Marquez does fight back by his team mate to fourth. If Vinales wins, we could have four first time winners in the last five MotoGP races! How good is that? Crutchlow is in a solid second.
Into Abbey one more time. Suzuki fans are going crazy! Rightfully so. Maverick Vinales scores his maiden MotoGP win at Silverstone! The first MotoGP win for Suzuki since 2007. Crutchlow, Rossi, Marquez, second, third, and fourth, followed by Dani Pedrosa, Andrea Dovizioso, Aleix Espargaro on the second Suzuki, Jorge Lorenzo, Danilo Petrucci, and Alvaro Bautista, rounding out the top ten.
#25 Maverick Vinales ESP. Suzuki
Valentino Rossi has his 217th podium, his 181st in MotoGP, and his 250th start. The next MotoGP race is at San Marino in Italy. It is actually on the Italian Riviera at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. Stay tuned for that one, coming soon.
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