What are the inspirations behind the 75th anniversary special liveries?

Take a look at how these iconic designs came to be ahead of a special weekend at Silverstone

All 11 MotoGP™ teams have officially unveiled their special liveries ahead of this weekend’s 75th anniversary celebrations at the Monster Energy British Grand Prix. Some have taken inspiration from previous decades and really leaned into the vintage feel of the weekend, whilst others have taken inspiration from more recent times or other avenues to piece their liveries together, so let’s take a look at how all 11 came to be.

Ducati Lenovo Team

World Champion Pecco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini will be sporting a familiar look on Sunday afternoon, with their livery inspired by the Ducati Desmosedici GP3 machines that both Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss piloted during the Bologna brand’s debut premier class campaign back in 2003.

Loris Capirossi. 2003
Loris Capirossi. 2003

Prima Pramac Racing

Based around Angel Nieto’s 1983 125cc World Championship winning design, the Italian outfit have decided to honour the legendary Spaniard and uncle of Fonsi Nieto, the team’s Sporting Director.

Angel Nieto, 1983
Angel Nieto, 1983

Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing

The Doctor’s outfit had plenty of options to choose from after an iconic Grand Prix career was highlighted along the way by plenty of iconic looks. And they’ve gone for arguably the Italian’s most recognisable style - the Sole Luna. Translated as Sun & Moon, this design was an ever-present on the number 46’s helmets throughout his career and will now grace his Ducati GP23 machines at Silverstone.

Valentino Rossi, 2018
Valentino Rossi, 2018

Gresini Racing

It’s a design we’ve all seen before, but it doesn’t make it any less iconic. The ‘il Tricolore’ design that the late, great Fausto Gresini used on his way to the 1985 and 1987 125cc World Championships will make its return, now in the hands of Marc and Alex Marquez.

Fausto Gresini, 1985
Fausto Gresini, 1985

Aprilia Racing

The Noale factory has such a storied history with the junior categories having won 19 World Championships across both 125cc and 250cc from 1992 to 2011. And for their Silverstone special livery they have taken inspiration from the Aprilia RSV 250 that Max Biaggi rode to a hat-trick of 250cc titles in 1994, 1995 and 1996.

Max Biaggi, 1994
Max Biaggi, 1994

Trackhouse Racing

In only their first Grand Prix season, the new boys don’t have a plethora of historic designs to choose from. So, they’ve instead took inspiration from their American roots and centred it around the American Legends that have helped shape the sport into what it is today. From Kevin Schwantz to Kenny Roberts, Wayne Rainey to Freddie Spencer, Trackhouse have used these icons of the sport to help shape their livery.

Kevin Schwantz, 1993
Kevin Schwantz, 1993

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

The Austrians’ design is based on the origins of KTM's road racing program: the KTM LC4. The bike was developed by Wolfgang Felber, who then went on to win the German ‘Sound of Singles’ Championship back in 1989. Felber, now KTM’s Vice President of Road Racing Technology, used the white and blue design and it was also the basis for KTM’s corporate logotype of the time.

Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

Pedro Acosta and Augusto Fernandez will also have a special livery to help celebrate MotoGP™’s 75th anniversary at the British Grand Prix.

Monster Energy Yamaha

It’s arguably one of the most iconic looks in the history of the sport: Yamaha’s red and white. First making its debut in 1964, the distinctive livery then became synonymous with Yamaha throughout the 1970s thanks to riders like Jarno Saarinen and Giacomo Agostini.

Jarno Saarinen, 1970
Jarno Saarinen, 1970

Repsol Honda Team

Honda have centred their vintage livery around Freddie Spencer’s historic 1983 500cc World Championship win, when he beat out Kenny Roberts Sr by only two points in one of the most memorable Grand Prix title fights even to this day. At the time, the 21-year-old American aboard his NS500 became the youngest-ever winner of a premier class title.

Freddie Spencer, 1983
Freddie Spencer, 1983

LCR Honda

Johann Zarco will sport a modern twist on the 1966 Honda livery and the iconic six-cylinder machine that Mike Hailwood rode to the 250cc World Championship. On the other side of the box, Takaaki Nakagami will take inspiration from the team’s Japanese background, plus sponsor Idemitsu.

Mike Hailwood, 1966
Mike Hailwood, 1966

 

 

 

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