MotoGP Silverstone: the top 5 most successful riders in the UK

MotoGP is ready to return to action following the long summer break, durnig which teams and riders were able to recharge their batteries. Welcoming the prototype machines this weekend is Silverstone, a ‘theatre’ that is as historic as it is charming and that will host the British GP for the thirteenth year running. Aside from Silverstone, on the calendar from 1977 to 1987 and then from 2010 until now, the other stronghold of the UK round has been Donington Park, which hosted the event from 1998 to 2009. Many riders have managed to reach the top step of the rostrum over the years, in what is a complex race that has often proved crucial to the championship as a whole. Let’s look back at the most successful riders to have competed on British soil.

Roberts, Doohan, Lorenzo and Stoner with 3 wins apiece

Tied on three victories each are a group of world champions who all appeared particularly at ease around the technical and winding layouts of Donington and Silverstone. Jorge Lorenzo and Kenny Roberts share first place in terms of wins at Silverstone, with three each. The five-time world champion triumphed in 2010, 2012 and 2013, beating Andrea Dovizioso, Casey Stoner and Marc Marquez respectively. Three wins also for the "Martian", achieved in 1978, 1979 and 1983 ahead of Steve Manship, Barry Sheene and Freddie Spencer.

In addition to the two Yamaha riders, two Australian legends in the shape of Casey Stoner and Michael Doohan also tasted success on three occasions. For five-time champ Doohan, the wins came consecutively between 1995 and 1997, when he beat, respectively, Daryl Beattie, Alex Criville and Tadayuki Okada. Casey Stoner also had particular feeling with the UK tracks, winning at Donington in 2007, ahead of Colin Edwards and in 2008, ahead of Valentino Rossi, and then at Silverstone in 2011, when he beat Andrea Dovizioso to the line.

Only Kevin Schwantz behind Valentino Rossi

The runner-up spot goes to 1993 world champion, Kevin Schwantz. The American Suzuki rider amassed four wins at Donington Park, a track at which he was unrivalled from 1989 to 1991 and again in 1994, beating of competition in the form of Eddie Lawson, Michael Doohan and, on two occasions, historic rival Wayne Rainey. But the most successful reigning class rider of all time at Donington, and in the UK in general, is Valentino Rossi, who celebrated a record six wins (5 at Donington and 1 at Silverstone). The nine-time world champion proved the fastest on British soil in 2000, when he scored his first top class victory, in 2001 and 2002, beating Max Biaggi, in 2004 when he went one better than Colin Edwards, in 2005 ahead of Kenny Roberts jr, and in 2015, when he beat Danilo Petrucci to the line. From 2013 until now, the Silverstone GP has seen a different winner each year. The last rider who was able to win two consecutive editions was Jorge Lorenzo in 2012-2013. Who knows whether Pecco Bagnaia, the winner of last year’s race, will be able to put an end to the current trend.