This is the seventh year that Silverstone has hosted a grand prix since motorcycle world championship racing returned to the circuit in 2010 - after a gap of 23 years.
The first motorcycle grand prix event to be held at Silverstone, in 1977, was also the first motorcycle grand prix to be held on the British mainland. Prior to 1977 the British round of the world championship had been held on the 37.73 mile long Isle of Man TT circuit, since 1949. The move from the Isle of Man was made mainly for reasons of rider safety.
The winners at that first grand prix at Silverstone in 1977 were: 500cc – Pat Hennen (Suzuki), 350cc & 250cc – Kork Ballington (Yamaha), 125cc - Pierluigi Conforti (Morbidelli). The original circuit layout, used for the grand prix from 1977 to 1986, was 2.93 miles long (4.71 km). The fastest lap in a race at the circuit during this time was set by Kenny Roberts in 1983 - riding a Yamaha - at an average speed of 119.5 mph (192.2 km/h). The British grand prix was held for ten successive years at the Silverstone circuit, before the event moved to Donington Park in 1987. Then, the British GP returned to Silverstone in 2010 with a revised circuit layout, measuring 5.9 km.
The only two riders who have had more than a single victory at Silverstone since GP racing returned to the circuit in 2010 are Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team). Lorenzo has won the MotoGP race there three times: 2010, 2012 & 2013; Marquez won the 125cc race in 2010 and the MotoGP race in 2014.
Since the world championship grand prix series returned to Silverstone in 2010, the best results for British riders in the MotoGP class at their home grand prix is 6th - for Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) in 2012 and for Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Yakhnich) last year.
Yamaha have won four of the six MotoGP races that have taken place at Silverstone, with Honda taking the other two victories.
The only podium finishes for Ducati at Silverstone came last year - they were a second place finish for Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Yakhnich), and third for Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team).
The best MotoGP ™ result for Suzuki at Silverstone is 5th, achieved by Alvaro Bautista (Gresini Racing Team Aprilia) in 2011.
Three British riders have won a solo grand prix race at Silverstone - Danny Kent (Leopard Racing) won the Moto3™ race last year, Scott Redding won the Moto2™ race in 2013 and Ian McConnachie won in the 80cc class in 1986.
Only two British riders have started from pole at Silverstone, across all solo GP classes; Barry Sheene in the 500cc class in 1977, and Sam Lowes in Moto2™ last year.