Aprilia Dominance at Silverstone
Raul Fernandez of Trackhouse Aprilia secured a victory at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, leading an all-Aprilia top three finish. This result saw Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi, both riding Aprilia machines, complete the podium positions. Martin’s second-place finish allowed him to extend his lead in the championship standings by 31 points.
Fernandez crossed the finish line with a lead of 2.538 seconds over Martin, while Bezzecchi was just under a second behind Martin, finishing 3.393 seconds off the leader. The race showcased strong performances from the Aprilia contingent, with three riders from the manufacturer claiming the top spots.
Following the Aprilia trio, Alex Marquez of Gresini Ducati secured fourth place, finishing 4.702 seconds behind Fernandez. Pedro Acosta, riding for KTM, took fifth position, 6.256 seconds off the pace. Fabio Di Giannantonio of VR46 Ducati was close behind Acosta in sixth, with a gap of 6.382 seconds.
Other notable finishers included Marc Marquez of Ducati in seventh, Brad Binder for KTM in eighth, and Luca Marini of Honda in ninth. Diogo Moreira (LCR Honda) rounded out the top ten.
Sprint Race and Qualification Overview
The 2026 Grand Prix season resumed at Silverstone for its twelfth round, with the circuit hosting both qualification and a 10-lap Sprint race. The weather conditions were sunny throughout Saturday’s events. In the Sprint race, Pedro Acosta achieved the best result for Red Bull KTM, securing sixth place and earning points for the tenth time this term.
Acosta, who qualified ninth, managed to maintain his pace in the Sprint despite concerns about tire degradation. He noted that the tire drop was worse than anticipated due to the hotter conditions compared to the previous year. He managed his soft rear tire effectively, moving up to sixth by the end of the race.
Brad Binder, also from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, finished eleventh in the Sprint after starting eighteenth. Binder opted for a medium tire choice, which proved beneficial in the latter stages of the race, allowing him to charge from outside the top 15. Enea Bastianini of Red Bull KTM Tech3 finished fifteenth in the Sprint, having started nineteenth.
Pol Espargaro made his first competitive appearance of 2026 at Silverstone, replacing Maverick Viñales who was recovering from shoulder complications. Espargaro, who started twenty-first, finished eighteenth in the Sprint after a battle with former world champion Francesco Bagnaia. He acknowledged a lack of speed and fighting too much at the start, which cost him time.
In the qualification for the main race, Jorge Martin secured pole position with a time of 1:56.160. Raul Fernandez was very close behind, just 0.021 seconds slower, placing him second on the grid. Ai Ogura completed the front row, 0.189 seconds behind Martin. Pedro Acosta qualified ninth, 0.722 seconds from pole.
Several riders faced retirements in the main race, including Ai Ogura, Pecco Bagnaia, Cal Crutchlow, Iker Lecuona, Enea Bastianini, Alex Rins, and Joan Mir. The main MotoGP race was scheduled for 20 laps, starting at 13:00 local time on Sunday.
Moto3 and Moto2 Highlights
The KTM GP Academy also saw action at Silverstone. In Moto3™ qualification, Valentin Perrone of Red Bull KTM Tech3 recorded the third fastest lap, securing a front-row start. He was 0.3 seconds from pole position. Alvaro Carpe of Red Bull KTM Ajo qualified fifth, while Brian Uriarte, also from Red Bull KTM Ajo, secured seventh place.
The Moto2 qualification was highly competitive, with 14 riders separated by less than one second. Collin Veijer of Red Bull KTM Ajo finished fifteenth in a Q2 session that experienced an interruption. Jose Antonio Rueda, the reigning Moto3 world champion, made his first Moto2 laps at Silverstone, qualifying twenty-third.
The Silverstone circuit, known for its technical combination of kinks and sections, represents the longest lap on the MotoGP calendar. The event marked the opening of the second phase of the 2026 season after a three-week summer break.
The Grand Prix race day at Silverstone began with Moto2 instead of Moto3, with the first race starting at 12:15.
Source: the-race.com
