MotoGP riders set for crunch meeting with British GP sprint under rain threat

Heavy rain has battered the Silverstone circuit all morning and led to the MotoGP final practice and qualifying sessions being run in extremely difficult conditions.

Numerous riders crashed across both qualifying segments, including poleman Marco Bezzecchi, third-placed Alex Marquez and championship leader Francesco Bagnaia.

As a result, the riders have organised a meeting for early afternoon, in which they will have to make a decision on whether to go out to race in the sprint, scheduled for 3pm local time.

Loris Capirossi, the FIM's safety officer who acts as liaison between the riders and championship promoter Dorna Sports, the is also expected to be present at the meeting.

Silverstone is no stranger to rain wreaking havoc with a MotoGP event.

In 2018, following a failed resurfacing job at the Northamptonshire venue exposed drainage issues, the grand prix had to be cancelled on the Sunday as the riders felt the circuit was too dangerous to race on.

The drainage issues were only discovered during a sudden shower in the previous day's practice sessions, in which Tito Rabat ended up with a badly broken leg when he was struck by a crashing bike at Stowe, having gone down himself seconds earlier.

Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Gresini's Alex Marquez was left unhappy at the state of the Silverstone track during qualifying on Saturday after grass was left on the racing line by various crashed bikes.

He said this was "not acceptable" and likened it to racing in a "regional championship".

KTM's Jack Miller, who is famed for his wet weather speed, added: "When the bikes are on the track, the asphalt is clean and more or less practicable. But in the break between Q1 and Q2, there were puddles and the asphalt accumulated water."

At the time of writing, rain conditions have eased up at Silverstone and the MotoE contest ran without issue, with the standing water having lessened since MotoGP qualifying finished.