The British GP at Silverstone delivered a major shift in the MotoGP championship picture, with Aprilia producing a standout weekend while Ducati struggled to match the pace at the front.
Jorge Martin emerged as one of the biggest winners of the weekend, extending his championship advantage from 14 to 31 points. At the same time, Raul Fernandez secured the first MotoGP victory of his career, while Marco Bezzecchi completed a remarkable return from injury with two podium finishes.
Aprilia’s strength was evident throughout the weekend, with the manufacturer taking a clean sweep of the podium in both the Sprint and Sunday’s main race. The results underlined the progress made by the Noale-based team and established Aprilia as a serious force in the championship battle.
Martin also found his form again after a difficult run before the summer break. The championship leader returned to an older-specification bike equipped with the latest aero package and immediately looked more comfortable. Despite a difficult start to Sunday’s race, he managed the weekend effectively and left Silverstone with a significantly larger advantage at the top of the standings.
Bezzecchi provided another major talking point. After a difficult stretch that included two serious injuries following his crash at the Sachsenring, the VR46 rider arrived at Silverstone still dealing with reduced mobility and limited upper-body strength. Despite those challenges, he qualified on the second row and followed it up with podium finishes in both races.
His performance was a significant boost after a turbulent period and moved him back to second in the championship standings, keeping his title hopes alive.
Fernandez also produced the biggest result of his career. After crashing in Saturday’s Sprint, the Trackhouse Aprilia rider responded with a composed performance in Sunday’s Grand Prix. He managed his tyres effectively and maintained his pace throughout the race to secure his maiden MotoGP victory.
While Aprilia enjoyed its strongest weekend of the season, Ducati endured a much more difficult outing.
Source: Motorcycles News
Marc Marquez suffered his lowest-scoring weekend of the season outside of a retirement, collecting just 10 points at Silverstone. The result saw him drop to fourth in the championship and fall 40 points behind Martin. Marquez admitted that he struggled in areas where he had previously been particularly strong, including the left-hand corners, making the weekend an important setback in his title challenge.
Francesco Bagnaia endured an even tougher time. The Ducati rider struggled for pace in both qualifying and race conditions before crashing out of Sunday’s Grand Prix. Bagnaia was running as low as 15th and said he was unable to stop the bike properly and lacked grip before the incident.
The result will raise further questions about his pace, particularly as he continues his recovery following recent arm pump surgery.
Ai Ogura was another rider to suffer a rare setback. The Aprilia rider had been one of the most consistent performers of the season before crashing out of Sunday’s race. His problems were compounded by a stuck ride-height device, turning what had been a strong weekend for Aprilia into a disappointing result for Ogura.
Despite the setback, Ogura remains within reach of the championship lead, sitting 37 points behind the top spot.
With the second half of the MotoGP season now underway, Silverstone has provided a clear indication that the championship battle could become increasingly unpredictable. Martin has strengthened his position at the top, but Aprilia’s pace has added another serious contender to the mix, while Ducati will be looking for answers after a weekend that exposed some unexpected weaknesses.
