MotoGP's British Grand Prix: Home riders' form guide

Crutchlow became the first British rider to win a premier class race since Barry Sheene in the 1981 Swedish Grand Prix last time out, when he mastered wet-to-dry conditions in the Czech Republic.

Other than outside title contender Sam Lowes in Moto2, local hopes across the three classes will largely rest on inclement weather.

Here's a look at how the British riders - and Irishman Eugene Laverty - have fared so far this year and how they stand coming into their home race.

MOTOGP

CAL CRUTCHLOW
LCR Honda, 10th in points
Best result: 1st, Brno
Silverstone 2015: DNF

After he ended Britain's 35-year run between premier class winners, his LCR team says Crutchlow will be so busy off-track this weekend he'll need a clone.

Like any Honda rider not named Marc Marquez, Crutchlow has had to fight hard this year to try to compensate for the bike's acceleration deficiencies. But where Marquez's factory team-mate Dani Pedrosa appears to be falling further away, Crutchlow is making progress.

Rates himself as the best rider in the world in mixed conditions, and mastered the Brno race with his tyre choice on the grid and then performance over the 20 laps. Reckoned he would have finished sixth or seventh in the dry there and Silverstone will be slightly kinder to the Honda, but will be hoping for similar conditions on home soil.

EUGENE LAVERTY
Aspar Ducati, 11th in points
Best result: 4th, Argentina
Silverstone 2015: 17th

Set to return to the World Superbike Championship at the end of the season, the Irish rider isn't a Brit but considers Silverstone his home race.

Laverty is one of four riders on the grid on the ageing GP14.2 Ducati (the '14' is the key there), and second of that quartet in the standings. Other than being bumped off the road at the final corner at the Red Bull Ring - where he made the second phase of qualifying for the first time - Laverty would have scored points in every race so far this year.

Has taken a massive step forward compared to his tough rookie campaign on an open-class Honda, and kept his head in the chaotic Argentina and Czech Republic races, finishing fourth and sixth.

SCOTT REDDING
Pramac Ducati, 12th in points
Best 2016 result: 3rd, Assen
Silverstone 2015: 6th

Like Laverty, Redding has moved from a Honda (albeit outright factory specification) to a Ducati, riding a year-old GP15 for the Pramac outfit.

He has shown more flashes of speed beyond his position in the standings, but the 23-year-old has been left to rue bad luck that included a mechanical failure in Argentina when a podium was on offer and various tyre issues. Like Crutchlow, he is one to watch when there is some rain, and claimed a second career podium in the Dutch TT in June, where he also qualified on the front row for the first time.

Nearly had another podium at the Sachsenring, demoted from second to fourth on the last lap by others on better tyres. Redding then reckoned he felt as comfortable as he has in MotoGP up front at Brno but was in the group of riders to strike front-tyre dramas. Chasing regular top-eight finishes.

ALEX LOWES
Tech3 Yamaha, making MotoGP debut
Suzuka 8 Hours winner, 11th in World Superbike Championship

Lowes jumps into the deep end this weekend, making his MotoGP debut to stand in for the injured Bradley Smith.

It's been a whirlwind month for the 25-year-old, winning the Suzuka 8 Hours for Yamaha then getting a "reward" MotoGP test with Tech3 at Brno and now an unexpected MotoGP call-up for at least the next two grands prix, starting with his home race.

By all accounts looked solid on the Tech3 bike in the post-Czech GP test, but only completed 15 laps before a minor fall brought and end to proceedings. A big ask to target any sort of result this weekend, has rightly said learning is the name of the game.

MOTO2

SAM LOWES
Gresini Kalex, 3rd in points
Best 2016 result: 1st, Jerez
Silverstone 2015: 6th

Would have been the Lowes brother in the spotlight before identical twin Alex got his MotoGP call-up, but heads to Silverstone having returned to form with a fine third at Brno, in mixed conditions he has struggled with before.

Led the points leaving three rounds earlier this year, including after a commanding Jerez win, but fell out of contention with back-to-back DNFs at the Sachsenring and Red Bull Ring. Is now 44 points behind leader Johann Zarco and realistically racing for wins before graduating to MotoGP in 2017 with Aprilia.

DANNY KENT
Leopard Racing Kalex, 20th in points
Best 2016 result: 6th, Qatar
Silverstone 2015: 1st in Moto3

Reigning Moto3 champion Kent is not the first rider to struggle in the step up to Moto2 and will certainly not be the last.

Things were supposed to be better a second time around - following a tough season in 2013 and a successful drop back to Moto3 - but it very much remains a work in progress. The Qatar opener was defined by a host of riders receiving penalties for jumping the start, but 10th on the grid there actually remains one of his two best qualifying results in Moto2.

That was followed by a run of one points-scoring finish in six races, but Kent has since scored in three of the last four, including seventh at Brno.

MOTO3

JOHN McPHEE
Peugeot MC Saxoprint, 15th in points
Best 2016 result: 1st, Brno
Silverstone 2015: 6th

Crutchlow wasn't the only British rider to break through at Brno a fortnight ago, with McPhee becoming the first Scottish winner of a grand prix in any class since 1962.

Backed by the Racing Steps Foundation, McPhee contested his first full Moto3 season in 2013 and second at Indianapolis last year was his best result. The 22-year-old is on a Peugeot-badged Mahinda and has had a tough campaign including uncertainty around his team.

The Mahindra is still underpowered, but a new gearbox introduced at the Sachsenring is a step forward, primarily helping with confidence on the bike.