Eurosport - Tue, 13 Jan 12:35:00 2009
Silverstone will host the British round of the MotoGP world championship from 2010 after losing the country's Formula One grand prix to Donington Park.
MotoGP commercial rights holders Dorna announce that the circuit, which hosts the Formula One Grand Prix this season, had agreed a five-year deal.
Richard Phillips, managing director of Silverstone Circuits Ltd, said: "Silverstone is the UK's premier motor-racing venue, and we are thoroughly looking forward to hosting the world's premier motorcycle racing event from 2010.
"We have worked closely with Dorna Sports (MotoGP's commercial rights holders) to bring MotoGP to Silverstone, and both parties are extremely excited about the opportunity to take this world-class event to another level.
"The grand prix circuit offers a combination of high-speed straights and technical corners, presenting a real challenge to the riders, while the facilities for teams and spectators are second to none.
"The circuit is also recognised as being one of the most easily accessible in the world.
"All of these factors, along with our vast experience of hosting world-class international events, contributed to MotoGP coming to Silverstone."
Donington Park hosts this year's MotoGP race but is due to undergo extensive renovation to prepare for the arrival of Formula One from 2010.
Silverstone hosted the British motorcycle grand prix from 1977 to 1986.
Comment 1 - 16 of 16
Screw em, lets go to Cadwell, Rossi and stoner side by side off the mountain, now that would be awesome ! not sure about the traffic though getting there might be a little difficult.
I would really love to see MotoGP visit Brands Hatch - possibly the most exciting bike circuit in the UK
Maybe fo cars its the best circuit...but bikes its got to be Donnington!.Silverstone if they use the indie circuit is m-mouse at best bloody awful at worst...all stop -start etc..with the perposed mods going on at Donington this year l cannot see it being better than that for bikes........l agree with one of the comments below.... Dorna fxxxl up AGAIN !!!!!
Mixed Feelings about this - I have watched world/national championship m/c racing since 1960 - For me, Donnington, Oulton Park, Cadwell Park, and Brands Hatch(Long) offer a fine variety of racing - however, Silverstone is pure Adrenalin - High Speed racing at its best - in the course of a day racing it is possible to walk completely around the circuit, watching @ every bend and straight, and to see riders coming out of Woodcote, Stowe, or Club is exciting to say the least - It may be that when a rejuvenated Donnington becomes available again, that the GP could run on alternate years at each venue. Regards to anyone who knows me. David Boardman
I have been to MotoGP since 79. I went to the first big motorcycle race at donnington when revamped with Hartog Sheene etc. However in the seventies when the grand prix was at silverstone it was far better.In 2007 I went to the Barcelona MotoGP and only weeks later to Donnington first time for probably 15 years now thats what I call a rip off. I agree with Falco'd the place is well behind the times. Facilities appaling.I also saw demo laps by formula One Martini brabham( I think)in early eighties. Two formula One cars would struggle to overtake at Donnington, Bernie has bolted with the cash again i guess but MotoGP will be great at Silverstone. I do agree with getting rid of chicanes though. Make it the fastest circuit for bikes again that would be even better.
Donnington is a great bike and touring car track as well as being good for spectators. Difficult to get in and out of on busy meetings though. Silverstone is good for GT and F1 racing and not very good for spectators as not much of the circuit can be seen from any one place. On Renaultsport day it was murder getting out of Silverstone so it must have been worse for the GP. Money and politics have conspired to spoil F1 which should be at Silverstone and motoGP which should be at Donnington.
lets hope they don't charge £109 just to get in on race day like they do for F1.
been to silverstone to watch WSB. spent over an hour getting out in the car park, and there wasn't 90,000 like they get at donnington. Never have that problem at donnington, because i get on my pushbike!!! Shame couldn't really careless about the F1, donnington is a bike track and fans love watching them there, silverstone is a dull track for bikes and bike fans.
I'm glad Silverstone have something out of this. It seems to me that Bernie Ecclestone held Silverstone, and indeed the country, to ransom over the F1 race there. A fortune was spent on the circuit and the approaches and then he sacks the place. I can't see how Donington will cope with the expected crowds. I attended a small motorbike show there in January one year and the queue was back to the M1 junction. Great track but the infrastructure is lousy. It'll cost a fortune to replace all those chemikhasis for a start.
I have never been to Silverstone but i think i will
be booking a ticket for moto gp. Lets just hope that the
grid wont be losing more teams!!!. The Kawasaki sounded
awesome!.
from Nigel640-10
well thats it for me no more toby and julian on eurosport and there moving the british motogp to a glorified go kart track.ive been to every motogp race ever held at donington rain or shine and have never been disapointed.the only thing they have to do now is cancel the lemans race and that will be my fun over totally.
well the money must talk i dont know how much silverstone have paid for this but prepare to get well and truly stuffed on your ticket prices and when you get there you wont able to see anything on this featureless track.
Couldn't agree more Falco'd. Back-hander wheeling and dealing perhaps? It certainly doesn't make any sense. Donnington is a really bad decision. It's almost as though the poison dwarf is trying to get rid of F1 in the UK by using a circuit that's simply nowhere near good enough for the job so he can say that he's tried everything but the UK is hopeless. That way he can accept the nice slushy oil money from his Arab friends when he gives them the UK's F1 fixture. You're so bloody obvious, Ecclestone.
silverstone is not god to watch racing
It would be fantastic if they could take out all those mickey mouse chicanes and restore it to the way it was in the eighties.
how many more @#$% ups are dorna going to make.
Great news! Why the hell Donington got F1 is beyond me. Whilst Donington has its plusses, its a swine to get in and out of, and the facilities (especially the toilets) are 1960's to say the least! I'll be booking my tickets as soon as I can because Silverstone is awesome to watch bikes. Having seen WSB and BSB there many times I can't wait!
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