The MotoGP British Grand Prix at Silverstone doesn’t have the same feel as it once did. Something feels missing from the pinnacle of two-wheeled racing at one of the world’s most prestigious and historic venues.
Silverstone has been a key part of the two-wheeled Grand Prix calendar since 2010 after MotoGP decided to call it quits on Donington Park. The Northamptonshire circuit previously hosted the race from 1977 to 1986, before Donington Park’s stint from 1987 to 2009. The decline of the British Grand Prix was noticeable even before the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are numerous factors to consider as to why this is the case.
Attendance Figures
The pictured graph discloses attendance figures in recent years on each day (Friday-Sunday) and then the total figure for the weekend. Silverstone’s return to the calendar in 2010 appeared to be a welcome edition, with 145,247 attending across the weekend. From 2011-2016, each year, bar 2014, saw the total number increase from the inaugural 2010 total. The facts show that turnout has dropped massively every year from 2017 onwards, bar 2021. In 2024, the total weekend attendance was a reported 117,867, fractional up on last year but Sunday figures went down from 48,564 to 42,529. Motorsport Week details five key factors explaining the rapid decline at the British Grand Prix.
The Valentino Rossi effect?
First and foremost, the explanation of the increased attendance at the 2021 British Grand Prix was predominantly down to one reason. The nine-time champion and modern icon Valentino Rossi announced earlier in that season his decision to bow out of the sport, with the Italian rider waving his final goodbyes to the British fans in attendance at Silverstone. It was no surprise to see such an increase in attendance (up by almost 30,000 over the previous race run in 2019) due to the size and stature that Rossi has brought to the sport. Thousands of fans will say their first interest in the sport was largely down to The Doctor, purely because of his incredible riding ability on the track and his popular antics off it.
While his final appearance in Northamptonshire in 2021 saw an increase in turnout, it’s safe to partially assume the low turnouts all the other years prior were related to his form on track. After his last MotoGP win came in 2017, two-wheeled motorsport never saw Rossi on the top step of the podium again. Meanwhile, it can be concluded that attendance figures post-Rossi era show Silverstone is simply missing MotoGP’s two-wheeled giant. His lack of presence on track in MotoGP is apparent even three years later, despite his continued legacy through his own satellite team.
No British riders in MotoGP
Aside from Italian rider Valentino Rossi, the Brits love to cheer on their own. Cal Crutchlow was the last full-time rider in MotoGP and even came close to winning the British Grand Prix in 2016. Since he retired from full-time racing in 2020, no British rider has featured on the grid except for occasional wild card or stand-in appearances.
Crutchlow was the most successful British Grand Prix rider in the top class since Barry Sheene, who rose to immense popularity in the 1970s and was even Britain’s last champion in the premier class. However, he could not follow through on his agreement with Yamaha as a wild-card entry for the 2024 edition at Silverstone due to the repercussions of his recent surgery to remedy an injury.
Britain is crying out for talent to come through who will be able to emulate one of the sport’s most iconic figures and be in illustrious company with fellow greats John Surtees, Phil Read, and Mike Hailwood. Until more Brits successfully make the jump up to MotoGP, Silverstone’s attendance will likely suffer.
Is the racing product worth it?
One factor that cannot be attributed to Silverstone’s dwindling attendance is the racing product that has been put on display since it rejoined the MotoGP calendar. Its comeback has seen races finish much closer, with Silverstone bringing out numerous successful battles. Jorge Lorenzo and Alex Rins’ last corner and lap overtakes on Marc Marquez in 2013 and 2019 spring to one’s mind, with Marquez enacting revenge on Lorenzo in 2014.
But the key takeaway is that Enea Bastianini’s win this year makes him the 10th different winner from the last 10 editions of the British Grand Prix. In other years, races have been influenced by one-rider dominance. Still, the stat indicates the competitive characteristics of the track, considering Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Aprilia and Ducati have all won around the Towcester roads. As a result, it is hard to put Silverstone’s dwindling attendance figures down to the nature of the circuit itself.
Affordability
Most notably, Silverstone’s pricing has increased for the fans attending. A general admission ticket for the weekend was priced at £130, but occupying certain corners started from £170. Silverstone looks soulless on national television, and the grandstands are predominantly empty even on race day.
Silverstone’s lack of attractions away from the racing highlights some of its faults, with personal experiences not meeting the same expectations in the years preceding. With a downturn in self-employed personnel operating memorabilia tents and activities organised for fans alike, combined with a lack of accessibility to meeting the top riders compared to WorldSBK, Silverstone is falling rapidly behind.
A WorldSBK weekend ticket lets you sit anywhere for €75 with exclusive access to the paddock areas, including live entertainment and a chance to win paddock passes.
Compared with Formula 1, albeit where fans paid a lot more for the weekend, MotoGP can’t compete with the amount of entertainment to look forward to both on and off the track.
Silverstone is the perfect circuit for facilitating attractions for new audiences, and Dorna should work together with Silverstone to take lessons from the MotoGP sister series in bringing more bang for buck.
2025 and Beyond
MotoGP will return to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix in 2025, with the race being moved forward for the first time since its 2012 edition.
Silverstone is the only confirmed date on the calendar, occupying the May 23rd-25th slot in an attempt to try to attract a larger audience despite further complications.
That same weekend features the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500 and just a day later, the first week of the Isle of Man TT gets underway. Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta stated that he wanted to move the slot earlier in the season, with the dates now falling on a bank holiday rather than peak British summertime. Although a massive increase in turnout seems unlikely, it is an actionable step toward discovering solutions in one of the sport’s biggest markets. It remains to be seen how successful the weekend will be, given that it’s now taking place on the same weekend as two prestigious events and a day ahead of one of the biggest motorcycle events in the world. If Silverstone sees attendances dwindle further in 2025, tough questions will be asked about the validity of holding a British GP on the MotoGP calendar.
Last year five of us turned up at Silverstone for Saturday qualifying, it was pouring with rain so we asked if luffields would be opening up only to be informed that if would remain closed for that day a race day on Sunday.
Needless to say we all got wet and cold and left early as did many others. I wrote to Silverstone and the reply gave the impression they weren’t bothered, the tickets were all e tickets so they new what the attendance figures would be , by not opening stands the cleaning was going to be zero cost.
I also wrote to DORNA and they seemed more sympathetic and would look into it.
Needless to say Silverstone will not see us again.
I think you are also missing one of the main reasons for low attendance. MotoGP was on free to air television for a long time and then moved to behind a paywall back in 2014 or 2015 I think. Since then I have not watched a MotoGP race (apart from when they are sometimes on ITV) and I used to watch them all. Dont really see how you will attract new fans to the sport if they can not see a live race on television.
We came to silverstone this year, fab camping ,fab racing , fab weather but loads of stands closed food very expensive no riders stands. Then they change the dates next year all 15 of us have booked TT racing not changing that.
I wrote to silverstone said it wasnt them, i wrote too Dorna they said we will note it down. So got know where there then .
Donington was the best but toilets, camping terrible . Its the good old fans support moto gp .
Disapointed fan
Silverstone is too big for bikes they need to make donninton better to have MotoGP go back much better track