The 2026 MotoGP season resumes this weekend with the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Aprilia has come out of the blocks swinging, as Marco Bezzecchi smashed the lap record on his return from injury, while his stablemates were all inside the top five. And the lap analysis shows that Aprilia is now likely to be responsible for either continuing or ending Silverstone\u2019s unique win statistic\u2026<\/p>\n
Say what you will about Silverstone as a MotoGP venue, it\u2019s proven to be anything but predictable for the last decade or so. In the last 11 editions of the British Grand Prix at the former RAF base in the currently rain-parched Northamptonshire countryside, 11 different riders across five separate manufacturers have scored a victory.<\/p>\n
This unique run began in 2013 when Jorge Lorenzo narrowly defeated Marc Marquez in a thriller to the line. Marquez exacted his revenge a year later, before Valentino Rossi put in one of the great performances of his late-stage MotoGP career in the wet in 2015.<\/p>\n
In 2016, Maverick Vinales ended Suzuki\u2019s wait for a victory, while Andrea Dovizioso triumphed in 2017. The 2019 race went the way of Suzuki and Alex Rins, who beat Marquez in another thriller that went to the wire. Fabio Quartararo was successful in 2021, followed by Pecco Bagnaia in 2022, Aleix Espargaro in 2023, Enea Bastianini in 2024 and Marco Bezzecchi last year.<\/p>\n
With five riders coming into the 2026 British Grand Prix split by just 24 points and eight within 65, there really couldn\u2019t have been a better place to resume hostilities in one of MotoGP\u2019s most unpredictable seasons in ages than Silverstone.<\/p>\n
But why has there been 11 winners in 11 years at the British Grand Prix?<\/p>\n
It was a question posed to the riders on Thursday at Silverstone, and one answered with various theories.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt's rainy,\u201d Franco Morbidelli offered, though clearly not this year, with much of England in the middle of a drought. \u201cThe track, the conditions change a lot. That can be one reason. Then I cannot tell you much more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alex Marquez added: \u201cI think here it's quite crazy because last year, for example, on the sprint on Saturday, I was the fastest one and having a lot of margin to kind of win on Sunday also. But then from Saturday to Sunday, the weather changed a lot. So windy and everything. And our laps, I think, on Sunday were like nearly two seconds slower than Saturday.\u201d<\/p>\n
Joan Mir suggested: \u201cYou never know in MotoGP, but it's a track that normally the conditions are very tricky, quite cold and also a wide track. It's hard to find the correct lines. Also, the tyre consumption plays a big role on this track. I don't know exactly why, but last year, for example, I remember that we were close to finishing on the podium.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were there in the fight for it, even if the previous races were not the best ones and the layout is not perfect; it's not the best one for us. So for some reason, the track gives you more opportunity [to capitalise on others\u2019] struggle. Maybe the rider can make more difference with the wind. You have to adapt more quickly. It's a difficult track. It's a very difficult track.\u201d<\/p>\n
Silverstone\u2019s open expanse means there is no cover from the wind. The track may as well have been the eye of a hurricane last year during the main race. Because of the high-speed nature of the circuit, harder tyres get used, and any change in temperatures can impact grip in a big way. In the aero era, Silverstone\u2019s wind has been particularly menacing.<\/p>\n
The wind was not so bad on Friday, though it has a tendency to change from day to day. Regardless, it looks like it will take a bit more than some gusts to knock Aprilia off course for what is looking like a nailed-on victory for one of its riders this weekend.<\/p>\n
The 2025 British Grand Prix saw Aprilia claim victory with Bezzecchi, coming just weeks after news broke that Jorge Martin was looking to break his contract with the brand early. While it was a gifted victory in some sense, as Yamaha\u2019s Fabio Quartararo retired from a commanding lead due to a ride height device issue, it was really the beginning of the RS-GP\u2019s ascent to title contender.<\/p>\n
Returning to Silverstone, Aprilia was easily the favourite coming into the weekend. That tag hasn\u2019t diminished after Bezzecchi set a 1m56.280s to smash the existing lap record for the circuit and lead Practice outright.<\/p>\n