MotoGP Silverstone Programme

MotoGP British Grand Prix held at Silverstone on 30th August - 1st September 2013

 

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The curse of TYRES, strikes again at Silverstone. A couple of months ago I watched a British Grand Prix which was totally dominated by tyres failures. The violent and very public disintegration of the Pirelli tyres. nearly bought a premature end to the race and sent shockwaves through the F1 paddock for weeks to come.

On a warm and sunning Friday morning, when the MotoGP circus arrived at Silverstone, bringing a colourfully continental flavour to Northamptonshire, the last thing that I was expecting was another weekend affected by the tyres. For MotoGP the control tyres are supplied by Bridgestone. Their high performance tyres are manufactoured specifcally for each circuit, but the tyres they bought for the highly specific track layout, did appear to be a bit marginal during the colder tempertures.

 

The warm late summer weather on Friday would certainly have made the Spanish contingent feel at home. Whereas the Formula One teams are nearly all based in the UK, in fact most within 30-miles of Silverstone, very few of the MotoGP teams or riders are local.

 

Spaniards make up a large percentage of the grid and certainly are heavily represented at the top of the championship standing. But this is the British Grand Prix, and all our hopes are focused on Cal Crutchlow in MotoGP and Scott Redding in Moto2.

 

The British riders took full advantage during the two free practice sessions on the Friday and were well up at the top of the timed standings within both the MotoGP and Moto2 categories. Cal Cutchlow, despite being stung by a wasp, still posted the third fastest time, whereas Scott Redding seems to have the match for the other Moto2 competitors and sure enough posted the fastest overall time shortly before the end of FP2.

 

The event is smaller then F1, but as the organisers had decided to abandon the new Wing complex and move back into the National pits and paddock this year, this created a far more friendly communal atmosphere, with the majority of the spectators congregating from Luffield down to Copse. There were plenty of giant televisions available to follow the action and the audio commentary was provided by Radio Silverstone with an interesting mix of commentary, interviews and music.

 

Its not just the spectators areas, which are more compact and friendly. MotoGP seems to be more personal. The riders are fully on view, physically working to muscle their steeds around the track. The bikes seems almost incidental, with the riders climbing on and hanging off the machines as the accelerate, brake and manoeuvre at ridiculous speeds around the circuit.

 

This visible physical activity is opposite from the way modern Formula One drivers are cocooned within their carbon fibre safety cells; the top of the helmet just peeping out and an occasioned flash of a gloved hand when adjusting the trajectory of their vehicle. Although the top MotoGP bikes are still around 30-seconds a lap slower than a F1 car, visually they appear to be much quicker, with far more dramatic acceleration, braking and cornering moves.

 

Young, talented, provided with the best equipment, and with the ability to make winning look effortless and easy. Sebastien Vettel?, no Marc Marquez. Whereas in F1 Vettel's dominance isn't popular with the fans, especially in Britain. The new sensation in MotoGP certainly seems a hit with all nationalities. They both smile a lot, and both seem thoroughly decent young men, so why the difference in reaction from one to another. Perhaps people will get bored of Marc dominating in years to come and will take against him, but if history repeats, this isn't likely when the huge waves of yellow greet the "Doctor" every time he passes a grandstand.

 

Valentino Rossi metronomic success in claiming 7 world titles certainly hasn't diminished his fan base. Even in his not such illustrious second career at Yamaha, his merchandise is still selling more than all the other competitors put together. The man is worshiped by the faithful and is a true legend.

 

As Friday afternoon drifted into a golden early evening, the forecast for Saturday was even more sunshine and clear blue skies.

 

The trip up the M40 on Saturday morning was quick and uneventful. The weather forecast was spot on, not a cloud in the sky with the fields either side of the motorway, lit up in the clear early morning light. Once into the car park and out of the car, it was obvious that the clear skies had lowered the temperatures. Small issue for me, just had to find my fleece from the deep recesses of my boot, however the drop in temperatures were to have a significant effect on the rest of the weekend and bring back into the proceedings, that dreaded word, tyres!

 

First out at 9am on the Saturday morning where the moto3 bikes for their third free practice session. I stood at Stowe corners to watch the little brightly coloured bikes slipstreaming along the Hanger Straight before tackling the very fast right handed corner. There was about 35-bikes making up the moto3 grid for this weekend. The large quantity, bright colours and the high pitched drone of the engines, made the fields progress around Stowe Corner, a bit like a swarm of wasps jockeying for position.

 

At 10am in was the turn of the big boys in the MotoGP class to take to the track for their 45-minutes of free practice. Using the national pits, the MotoGP bikes exit the pit lane just after the fast right hand corner at Copse, they then negotiate the fast right, left ,rights turns at Maggotts, Becketts and Chapel, before launching themselves down the Hanger Straight, then into the fast right hand sweeping bend at Stowe. After after a quick blast of the throttle, it's hard on the brakes for the tight LEFT corner at Vale. And this is where it all went wrong for Cal Crutchlow and many others including the currently championship leader, Marc Marquez.

 

For a MotoGP bike to go around a corner, it needs to achieve mechanical grip from it's tyres. There is no downforce on motorbike to assist with changes of direction. The slick racing tyres needs to operate at a certain temperature to produce the grip needed, and on a motorbike this temperature needs to be maintained around the whole profile of the tyre.

 

Due to the low ambient temperatures during the morning sessions, the long straight and fast right hand corner proceeding it, when the riders threw the bikes into the left hand corner at Vale, there was no temperature in the left side of the tyre and therefore no grip, and therefore Cal Crutchlow crashed at 182 mph on his out lap, and therefore injured his arm, and therefore another British Grand Prix went by without a serious British challenger.

 

Still it could have been worst. For example, he could have qualified first, made it into the first corner in the lead, pulled out a gap over the chasing pack, and settled into a comfortable pace out in front of 100,000 fans at his home grand prix, when his tyre exploded and that was his victory gone again for another year. (Lewis Hamilton, 2013)

 

Although Cal's forearm was badly damaged, his Tech 3 Yamaha was completely destroyed. So once the medical staff had finished patching him up, and the leathers supplier had finished patching his suit up, he managed to get back to the garage and jump onto his number 2 bike, just in time to have another huge accident, on another left hand bend and trash another £1-million motorbike.

 

With motoGP qualifying now only a couple of hours away, Cal's Tech3 team now had their own race to bolt back together at least one bike, out of the mass of bent and loose bits of two state of the art super bikes now deposited in a pile on the floor of the pit garage.

 

Cal Crutchlow wasn't the only rider to fall foul of the Bridgestone tyre temperature issue. Lots of others did as well. If the first left handed they encountered at Vale didn't get them, then the second left hander at Farm Curve properly would.

 

By the start of qualifying at 2.30pm, the track surface had warmed up a bit, even if the brisk wind blowing through the grandstands hadn't. The qualifying session itself was a stunning display of motorcycle magic from the two Spanish maestros, Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Marquez. The 15-minute final session allowed time for two fast laps, quick pit stop to change wheels and then another two quick laps. Each time Jorge Lorenzo went out first, and each time he put together an outstanding lap which broke the existing lap record and then his own lap record. Marc Marquez on his last flying lap of the session, put together a faultless performance which stole the pole position from a bemused Jorge, who just couldn't believe that his lap could have been bettered. A truly remarkable session finished;

 

193Marc MARQUEZSPARepsol Honda Team 2'00.691

299Jorge LORENZOSPAYamaha Factory Racing2'00.819

335Cal CRUTCHLOWGBRMonster Yamaha Tech 3

46Stefan BRADL GERLCR Honda MotoGP

526Dani PEDROSA SPARepsol Honda Team

646Valentino ROSSIITAYamaha Factory Racing

 

Sunday morning, parked car and decided that today would need a fleece and a jacket. So whilst I was searching around the car for my jacket I had last seen back in the spring, I could help but hope that the riders would take the morning "warm up" sessions literally and concentrate on getting the tyres fully up to temperature before pushing on a bit.

 

A bizarre accident happened at the end of the first moto2 warm up session when quite a few of the bikes were lining up to take turns for practice starts on the hanger straight. Somehow another bike, ignoring the yellow flags, managed to crash into two of the waiting riders and all three of them hit the deck. Two left in ambulances.

 

The incident of the hanger straight caused a delay in starting the MotoGP warm up, but even with this extra time, it was still mighty chilly at the back side of the circuit. Sure enough the riders started to fall again of the left handers. Then lots of ohs! from the grandstands. The giant TV screens were showing Cal Cutchlow once again staggering unsteadily from the Vale Corner gravel trap helped by a orange clad marshall. Suddenly panic, there are all jolted into action and make a swift transition in a sprint, which Usain Bolt would have been proud of. The reason for their sudden panic was immediately clear as a Orange and White Honda barrelled through the gravel trap, smashing into Cutchlow's sticken Yamaha and missing the fast retreating marshals by only a few feet. The Orange and White bike was closely followed into the now congested gravel trap by an Orange and White clad figure. As the dust settled the oh! went around the grandstands again, as sitting there cradling a damaged arm was Marc Marquez. An ambulance was quickly summoned and off he went to the medical centre to join the lengthening queue of riders who had not managed to navigate the left hand corners.

 

Later that morning it was announced that Marc had dislocated his shoulder. From a normal person's stand-point, I naturally assumed that he would now be on the first helicopter out, to recuperate by the poolside of his luxury villa, so was naturally disappointed that we would be denied seeing his breathtaking race craft later that afternoon.

 

Before the main MotoGP race, there was the little matter of the Moto2 race to be held. With Scott Redding currently leading the championship standing and achieving a 2nd place of the starting grid, could this really be an the first opportunity to hear God Save the Queen at a British Grand Prix in living moment. Oh yes!, Finally a British winner at at the British Grand Prix. A Wonderful controlled performance from Scott Redding who lead for the majority of the race and made the final overtake in front of us at the Loop, to retake the lead and go on to take the flag. He was obviously very emotional on his celebration lap, as he stopped to thank each grandstand for their support on his long drawn out but perfectly justified jaunt back to the pit lane lane before taking to the top step of the Silverstone podium.

 

Fantansic result and everyone is looking forward to seeing what Scott can do in MotoGP next year. Now for this years competitors. The main event, the MotoGP race was up next and surely a mistake when it was announced that Marc Marquez would be riding. Marc took an extra warming up lap before heading to the grid, I would assume to test the strength in his damaged shoulder. All must have been OK, as he slotted into his front row grid position next to Lorenzo and Crutchlow.

 

Lights out and Lorenzo hits the front, within a couple of breathtaking laps the three top Spaniards had broken free of the chasing pack. Lorenzo leading Marquez, leading Pedrosa. Lap after lap the three of them jockeying for position. No one could make a clean break away and the high speed duelling is awe-inspiring to behold.

 

As the laps counted down, Pedrosa slipped marginally back, leaving Jorge and Marc to duel it out, but still close enough to capitalise on any mistakes. Two laps to go and Marc passes Jorge into the Vale Corner, then Jorge passes Marc, then Marc passes Jorge. Last lap Marc has the lead down the Wellington Straight, last corner, he drifts a metre wide and Jorge is along side and wins the drag race to the line.

 

Final Race Results

 

12599Jorge LORENZOSPAYamaha Factory Racing

22093Marc MARQUEZSPARepsol Honda Team

31626Dani PEDROSA SPARepsol Honda Team

41346Valentino ROSSIITAYamaha Factory Racing

51119Alvaro BAUTISTASPAGO&FUN Honda Gresini

6106Stefan BRADL GERLCR Honda MotoGP

7935Cal CRUTCHLOWGBRMonster Yamaha Tech 3

 

What a fantastic race! What commitment and courage from the competitors! Outstanding entertainment!

 

I have not been to a MotoGP event before and had reservations regarding the weekend ticket cost for what was only a 40-minute race. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole weekend and was highly impressed with the presentation of the event and the enthusiasm of both the crowd, teams and the competitors. Yes, motoGP is very technological advanced and extremely expansive, but it has a raw passion about it which sets it apart, and if I might say, above Formula One's more sterile and aloof environment.

 

I would love to see the MotoGP action at a more picturesque environment such as the wonderful Grand Prix loop at Brand Hatch or the stunning downhill turns of the Craner Curves at Donington Park, but nowadays Silverstone is the only UK circuit which can comfortably cater for 75,000 plus people and most importantly get them into and out of the venue seamlessly .

Done