MotoGP: Silverstone confirm three-year British Grand Prix deal

Silverstone has signed a three-year deal to host the British Grand Prix, it has been confirmed.  

As MCN reported earlier today, the Northamptonshire circuit has won the rights to host the British Grand Prix in 2018, 2019 and 2020 after three-months of uncertainty for the event as both Silverstone and Donington Park pitched to host it after the collapse of the Circuit of Wales.

The British Grand Prix has been held at Silverstone since 2010, but in 2015 and 2016 the event was contracted to the dubious Welsh circuit, which sub-contracted Silverstone to host the race in the absence of any building work having even begun.

That was also supposed to be the case this year, but following the collapse of the Welsh venture, Silverstone stepped in to run the event at the last minute.

MotoGP rights holders Dorna then entered negotiations with both Silverstone and Donington for 2018 and beyond, and while initial reports suggested things were swaying in the direction of change, Silverstone signed their new, three-year deal with Dorna bosses at this weekend’s MotoGP finale in Valencia.

“I’m delighted to confirm we’ve signed a three-year deal to host the British Grand Prix,” Silverstone boss Stuart Pringle told MCN in an exclusive interview.

“As we’ve seen in the last few races, it’s such an exciting championship and this gives us an opportunity to build upon eight years of running it at Silverstone and moving things forward now it’s back under our direct control.”

Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta added: “Silverstone is an iconic British circuit, so naturally we are pleased to be able to continue racing at this track. The United Kingdom is an important market for Dorna and has to remain on the MotoGP calendar, especially with the introduction of the British Talent Cup next year, which we hope will inspire the next generation of young British talent.

“We look forward to giving fans more action over the British Grand Prix weekend and I’m sure fans will be as happy as we are that Silverstone remains on the calendar for the next three years.”

The full, exclusive interview with Pringle will be available on motorcyclenews.com later this week. 

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