The 2019 season continues at full pace as Marc Marquez and a recovered Jorge Lorenzo reunite at round 12.
The 5.9km long Silverstone circuit is the longest on the MotoGP calendar and has hosted a number of memorable races since its debut in 1977. Newly resurfaced for 2019, the new circuit surface presents a somewhat unknown element at this year’s Grand Prix as teams and riders will seek to understand tire life, the various bumps and how fast the new surface is.
Marc Marquez arrives in the United Kingdom after one of the season’s most exciting races against Andrea Dovizioso. Narrowly missing out on victory, the reigning champion is fired up and ready to return to the top step of the podium to protect his comfortable 58-point World Championship lead. Since Austria 2018, Marquez has crossed the line in first or second in all the races he has finished – an impressive run he is looking to continue as he aims to return to the Silverstone podium for the first time since 2014. Another top three finish would see him equal Agostini’s 88 podiums in the premier class.
Round 12 of the MotoGP World Championship will also see five-time World Champion Jorge Lorenzo return to the Repsol Honda Team for the first time since suffering a back injury at round 8 in Assen. Fractures to his T6 and T8 vertebrae kept Lorenzo away from the circuit, undertaking an intense recovery process to return to racing again. The objective for this first weekend back will be to help Jorge Lorenzo acclimate to the RC213V again and assess its level of performance after missing substantial track time.
Lorenzo will make his riding return at 09:55 local time during Free Practice 1 on Friday, August 23. The British Grand Prix will take place at 13:00 local time on Sunday, August 25 due to the unique schedule of the UK round.