Repsol Honda Team back to full strength for MotoGP season restart in Silverstone
Silverstone CircuitAfter five weeks away, the MotoGP World Championship resumes and begins an intense second half of the year at the historic Silverstone Circuit, Joan Mir back alongside Marc Marquez in the Repsol Honda Team.
At 5.9 kilometers long, Silverstone is not only one of the oldest circuits on the MotoGP calendar but also the longest. First used in 1947, the British track has undergone a number of changes before arriving at its current 18-corner layout. A mix of long straights, fast corners and tight and technical sections routinely produces close racing but 2023 sees a new challenge added as the MotoGP paddock returns to using ‘The Wing’ and changes the start – finish line to the Hamilton Straight as opposed to the National Pit Straight from the previous few visits.
The second half of the season is set to be an intense affair as the races come thick and fast, Marc Marquez taking full advantage of the break to prepare himself. Silverstone is what awaits this weekend, a circuit that has seen the #93 take three podiums – including a win in 2014. This year’s British Grand Prix will be about building and establishing growth for the second half of the year and beyond.
It will be a welcome return to action for Joan Mir as he is reunited with the Repsol Honda Team after an injury in Mugello. Now fully recovered, the #36 is fully motivated to continue working and improving with the team. Mir’s best finish at Silverstone is a ninth place in the premier class, achieved in 2021 on his way to third in the World Championship.
The entirety of the Repsol Honda Team is eager to return to the track and resume the hard work they have planned. Sunday’s race will take place at 13:00 Local Time, ahead of the Moto2 race as is usual for the British GP.
Location: Silverstone
The Silverstone Circuit is long, fast and flowing, with a lot of fast changes of direction and a mixture of corners: the stadium section from Abbey through the Loop to Aintree is tight and technical, Woodcote and Copse are long and fast, the Maggotts/Becketts complex a bit of both.
It is conveniently situated right in the heart of the UK, approximately 90 minutes north of London and 60 minutes south of Birmingham. Road access is exceptionally easy along the A43 dual carriageway from either the M40 or M1.
By public transport, the nearest stations are Banbury or Milton Keynes, both of which offer fast connections to destinations throughout the country.
We have enjoyed an important Summer Break, a chance to reset and recover after a demanding start to the year. From the physical and mental side, I come back to the track refreshed and ready to work. I am looking forward to seeing everyone in the Repsol Honda Team again and understanding the work that has been done over the break. Silverstone is a circuit where I have had a lot of good battles in the past. The most important is to get back on the bike, get back to working and try to improve on how the first half of the year has been.
Our break was a bit longer than everyone else’s, but I am now fully recovered from the injury I suffered in Mugello. I’ve been back training and riding different kinds of bikes like normal for a few weeks now so I am feeling good physically. The goal for the weekend is to make the most of every session and get back into the mindset of MotoGP and racing after so many weeks away. It will be great to see everyone again and get back on the Honda RC213V.