MotoGP on cloud nine: nine different winners from nine British Grands Prix

The 2023 British Grand Prix MotoGP™ served up a battle for victory brimming with suspense and drama, culminating in a sensational last-lap overtake for the win.

This most recent result continues Silverstone’s incredible run of nine different winners from the last nine MotoGP visits. When the eight-visit run of victories Marc Marquez enjoyed at the Sachsenring between 2013 and 2021 is considered, the British circuit’s unpredictability is made all the more apparent.

The 2020 and 2018 events were unfortunately cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic and unrelenting rainfall respectively. 

TICKETS: buy Monster Energy British Grand Prix MotoGP 2024 tickets now

2023: Aleix Espargaró

In the 2023 edition of the MotoGP British Grand Prix, Aleix Espargaró joined the ever-growing list of surprise winners at Silverstone after a remarkable performance. Starting from P12, he steadily advanced through the field whilst Jack Miller, Marco Bezzecchi and Francesco Bagnaia battled for the lead in the early phases. Having scythed his way through the field, the heavens opened in the closing laps and Espargaró capitalised to secure the lead at Maggotts on the final tour, clinching a popular victory – his second in 310 starts – ahead of Bagnaia and Binder, in a bona fide Silverstone thriller.

READ MORE: Aleix Espargaró wins MotoGP British Grand Prix in last lap Silverstone thriller

2022: Francesco Bagnaia

One year prior, it was that year’s champion Bagnaia who sealed the victory, but he had to work for it as he was shuffled down to fifth in the opening exchanges. At the expense of title rival Fabio Quartararo who served a long-lap penalty, he made his way up to fourth and third place followed as race leader Johan Zarco’s race ended in the gravel at Vale. Bagnaia made quick work of his factory Ducati teammate Jack Miller and the Suzuki of Álex Rins to move to the front of the pack by the halfway point. Despite a late challenge from Maverick Viñales, the Italian held his nerve to take the win ahead of Viñales and Miller.

2021: Fabio Quartararo

Starting from third on the grid, French sensation Fabio Quartararo utilised his front-row slot to good effect in 2021 and launched into second place off the line behind Pol Espargaró. Although relegated to fourth by Bagnaia and Aleix Espargaró early on, Quartararo began marching forward and in the space of two laps, went from fourth to the front of the field. With the rest of the pack battling amongst themselves, he was left to open a remarkable gap of over 3.5 seconds at its most pronounced. Eventually, Quartararo won by 2.6 seconds from Rins and A Espargaró who began a three-year run of Silverstone podiums for Aprillia. 

2019: Álex RinsThe 2019 Grand Prix saw a dramatic Turn 1 incident for Quartararo and Andrea Dovizioso. That left Marc Márquez and Valentino Rossi at the front with Rins not far behind and after eight laps, the Suzuki rider had dispensed with both The Doctor, and Márquez to take the lead. For the remaining 12 laps, Rins and Márquez swapped positions keeping a close eye on one another, culminating with a legendary Woodcote undercut from Rins to take a surprise but welcome victory on the line, just one hundredth ahead of Márquez with Viñales a further six tenths behind. 

2017: Andrea Dovizioso

Starting sixth, Andrea Dovizioso played the waiting game during the 2017 race. His patience paid off as he made his way past teammate Jorge Lorenzo on Lap 1 and home favourite Cal Crutchlow two laps later. Having dispatched Márquez and Viñales after a thrilling battle at half-race distance, Dovizioso began closing the gap to Rossi who had been comfortably controlling the race until that point. An engine problem for Marquez alleviated some pressure from the Italian and left him alone to challenge his compatriot. With three laps to go, Dovizioso hit the front and held the position until the flag from Viñales and Rossi after an impressive, strategic ride. 

2016: Maverick Viñales

With Crutchlow on pole at his home race and the omnipresent Rossi starting from second, Viñales on the Suzuki was something of an outside chance in the third grid slot ahead of the 2016 event. It was the Spaniard who exited Turn 1 in the lead before the red flags waved for an incident at Maggotts. His restart wouldn’t be quite as fruitful as he held third place but by the end of the Hangar Straight on the first lap, he was already ahead of The Doctor. Later that same lap, Viñales snatched the lead from Crutchlow on the run into Abbey and from that point on, he didn’t look back, extending the gap to the duelling pack behind. Viñales won the race by 3.4 seconds from Crutchlow and Rossi. 

2015: Valentino Rossi

After a delayed start due to inclement weather, it was Lorenzo who launched from second into the lead ahead of Márquez and P Espargaró with Rossi in fourth. The nine-time champion made quick work of the riders ahead, claiming two positions in as many corners to then begin pressuring his teammate in the treacherous conditions. Shortly thereafter, Rossi muscled his way past Lorenzo with a block pass at Village and Márquez ensured he followed the Italian through. Márquez ran in Rossi’s wheel tracks for over half the race but try as he might, he was unable to make a move and eventually ended his race on the sidelines at Copse. A late challenge from Danilo Petrucci and Dovizioso fizzled out leaving Rossi to win ahead of the two Ducati bikes.

READ MORE: 2024 MotoGP calendar announced

2014: Marc Márquez

During an unprecedented season of 13 premier class victories, Márquez also took a momentous win from pole at Silverstone. But that only tells part of the 2014 British Grand Prix story. Lorenzo got the holeshot to lead from Márquez, then came Dovizioso, Rossi and Dani Pedrosa. Having dropped the chasing trio, Márquez kept tabs on Lorenzo for the entirety of the race and made his move into Stowe with seven laps to go. Two laps later, he went wide at the same corner allowing Lorenzo back through. With another two laps in the books, the pair went into combat once again with Márquez getting his elbows out at The Loop to take the lead once again. This time, he would not relinquish the place and took victory ahead of Lorenzo and Rossi.

2013: Jorge Lorenzo

In what seems like a carbon copy of 2014, Lorenzo and Márquez went head-to-head for the win in 2013 but this time it was the Yamaha rider who came out on top. Lorenzo got the holeshot but Márquez was in hot pursuit early on. Although Pedrosa’s momentum was hampered by Stefan Bradl in the initial laps, he joined the fight between Lorenzo and his Honda teammate and at half race distance, the trio ran line astern. With five laps to go, Pedrosa’s pace began to wane and with three laps to go, Márquez finally made his move into Brooklands. The following lap Lorenzo responded at Vale and their scuffle brought Pedrosa back into the fray. On the final lap, Márquez dove down the inside at Brooklands once more, but Lorenzo expertly positioned his bike to duck back underneath at Luffield to take the win ahead of Márquez and Pedrosa.