What we learned from MotoGP’s return at the British GP

The British Grand Prix weekend was always going to mark a significant moment in the title fight, with MotoGP riders arriving at Silverstone feeling refreshed after the summer break. 

Even before the first laps were completed in practice, it was clear that Aprilia would be the dominant force, but the way its riders performed offered fresh insights into their respective mindsets. Ducati faced a difficult weekend, with its factory team particularly struggling for speed. 

The championship battle also took an interesting turn with the final 10 races remaining, setting up an intriguing second half of the season. Here is what we learned from MotoGP’s British GP.

Aprilia riders can recover from setbacks and tough spells

All three Aprilia riders who finished on the grand prix podium were on a comeback of sorts

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Aprilia riders have rightly been criticised in the past for faltering too many times and handing away valuable points to their Ducati counterparts. But they deserve just as much credit for bouncing back from adversity to lock out the podium positions at Silverstone.

For Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez, it was simply a case of bouncing back from a tough sprint, rather than a longer spell of poor results. But given how frustrated he was on Saturday, his comeback win was a great demonstration of his mental fortitude. 

In the case of Jorge Martin, being able to rediscover confidence on his bike did wonders, with his championship advantage swelling from 14 points to 31 with a victory and second place across the two races.

But perhaps it was Marco Bezzecchi who made the biggest statement. Scoring two podiums when being in pain and lacking strength and mobility would have been an impressive feat on any day. But it was made all the more impressive by the fact that he had suffered a bruising run of results prior to the summer break and needed to prove himself - and others - that he was capable of putting together a clean weekend at the front without making any errors. If Bezzecchi ends up winning the title, the British GP would be the turning point of his campaign.

Ducati facing hierarchy problem of its own 

Does Ducati now need to back on of its riders in the title fight?

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Over the summer, questions were asked as to who can lead Aprilia’s charge, given how strong Marc Marquez was emerging after his shoulder surgery. However, if the last few races are to go by, Ducati has no clear hierarchy of its own. 

The once-reliable Fabio di Giannantonio is no longer Ducati’s top scorer, while Marquez’s low weekends are also proving more costly than previously expected. The pair are now separated by just one point in the standings, while both trail Martin by 40 points or more.

Silverstone provided another example, with Alex Marquez clearly the fastest GP26 rider over the grand prix distance. But having missed several races after a difficult start to the campaign, he is already out of the title fight. 

Over the long run, the older Marquez remains the main threat to Aprilia’s championship hopes. But if his inconsistency continues, we could see a rotating cast of Ducati riders emerge as the manufacturer’s strongest challenger from one race to the next. 

Ride-height device problems not fully eliminated

Martin and Ogura both had their ride height devices become stuck engaged at Silverstone

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The ban on holeshot devices doesn’t mean riders will not face issues at the start. The regulations only prohibit the use of front ride-height devices, which were designed specifically for the launch sequence. The rear devices remain legal, and continued to be used by riders throughout the race, including at the start.

In only the second weekend since the ban came into force, two riders - Martin and Ogura - reported a stuck ride-height device at the start after they lost ground to their rivals. Thankfully, the situation never descended into chaos and both riders were able to continue without problems.

Crucially, unlike some other instances with the now-banned front devices, there were no technical issues this time, as both Martin and Ogura simply failed to apply enough brake pressure to disengage the device. But nevertheless, ride-height devices may continue to pose some problems until they are completely outlawed in 2027.

Silverstone great for racing but still struggling to attract big crowds

It was another sparse crowd at Silverstone for MotoGP

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Silverstone’s high-speed layout again proved to be a hit, delivering exciting races in all three classes, particularly in Moto2. Arguably the only track capable of hosting world championship-level motorcycle races safely in the UK, Silverstone certainly has a bright future on the calendar. Only on the eve of this year’s race, a new two-year contract was announced, guaranteeing the future of the British GP at Silverstone until the end of 2028.

However, the poor attendance still remains a problem for the track and MotoGP itself. Nearly 106,000 fans walked through the gates to attend the 2026 event, a small improvement over last year, but still well short of the 117,000 figure from just two years ago. More alarmingly, the race day crowd was reported at just 43,000 fans. Considering over 70,000 spectators used to regularly attend the Silverstone event on Sundays in the early to mid-2010s, the drop in numbers is substantial.

MotoGP has even been hosting dedicated fan events in London to promote this year’s British GP, with the Thursday press conference was moved to the capital to bring fans closer to the championship. Clearly, MotoGP and Silverstone still have work to do to rebuild the championship’s audience in the UK. 

The 2026 title fight is becoming increasingly unpredictable

Ogura slipped to third in the standings after crashing out of the grand prix

Photo by: Glyn Kirk / AFP via Getty Images

The performance swings in MotoGP are becoming more pronounced, with Ducati and Aprilia increasingly reliant on track characteristics that suit their respective bikes. But as explained above, there is no clear hierarchy within Ducati and Aprilia, meaning there could be a different rider at the top every weekend. In the first 12 grands prix, we have already witnessed seven different race winners.

This inconsistency is making it hard to predict the outcome of the championship. For instance, Martin wasn’t the best-performing rider in the first half of the season, despite going into the summer break as the championship leader. Now, however, he enjoys an extended 31-point lead in the standings and appears deserving of his position at the top. Conversely, Ogura made one mistake and he has suddenly slipped to third in the standings, facing a 37-point deficit to the top.

Marquez’s poor weekend also means he will need more weekends like Sachsenring to compensate for the points loss.

Martin leaves Silverstone with his championship lead enhanced to 31 points

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