After a five-week break, MotoGP returns to action at the famous Silverstone Circuit stage of the British GP this weekend, the ninth round of the 2023 season.
During the long summer break, 2023 series leader Francesco Bagnaia and his Ducati team-mate Enea Bastianini (pictured here) continued to train as they took to the track several times in Misano with their Ducati Panigale V4S machines.
In mid-July, the Ducati Lenovo Team riders were among the MotoGP stars participating in the famous Festival of Speed in Goodwood (England).
Bagnaia and Bastianini, together with test rider Michele Pirro, took part in the parade with their Desmosedici GP bikes in front of the many fans and supporters that attended the event and the picture that portrays Bagnaia and Stoner together – both World Champions with Ducati in MotoGP – has become iconic.
The rider from Chivasso currently leads the overall standings with 35 and 36 points over fellow Ducati riders Jorge Martín (Pramac Racing) and Marco Bezzecchi (VR46 Racing Team), who are second and third in the championship, respectively.
Bagnaia arrives at Silverstone as a favourite as he took a stunning victory in last year’s GP and the last 2023 round before the summer break at Assen.
“It was a good summer break: I was able to rest but also dedicate myself to my training program, and I had a lot of fun on track, on several occasions, with my Panigale V4S together with the other Ducati riders,” said Bagnaia.
“It is time to start again, and I am happy about that. Last year at Silverstone, I scored one of the most beautiful victories of my career in a weekend that did not start immediately in the best way. This year’s goal will be to get off on the right foot immediately and, above all, try to bring home more important points for the overall standings.”
Photo courtesy Ducati
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2023 MotoGP World Champs standings after round eight of 20:
| Position | Entrant | Wins | Points |
| 1 | Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo Team (GP23) | 7 | 194.00 |
| 2 | Jorge Martin Prima Pramac Racing (GP23) | 3 | 159.00 |
| 3 | Marco Bezzecchi Mooney VR46 Racing Team (GP22) | 3 | 158.00 |
| 4 | Brad Binder Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) | 2 | 114.00 |
| 5 | Johann Zarco Prima Pramac Racing (GP23) | 109.00 | |
| 6 | Luca Marini Mooney VR46 Racing Team (GP22) | 98.00 | |
| 7 | Jack Miller Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) | 79.00 | |
| 8 | Aleix Espargaro Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | 77.00 | |
| 9 | Fabio Quartararo Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) | 64.00 | |
| 10 | Alex Marquez Gresini Racing MotoGP (GP22) | 63.00 | |
| 11 | Franco Morbidelli Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) | 57.00 | |
| 12 | Maverick Vinales Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | 56.00 | |
| 13 | Alex Rins LCR Honda CASTROL (RC213V) | 1 | 47.00 |
| 14 | Augusto Fernandez GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 (RC16) | 42.00 | |
| 15 | Fabio di Giannantonio Gresini Racing MotoGP (GP22) | 34.00 | |
| 16 | Takaaki Nakagami LCR Honda IDEMITSU (RC213V) | 34.00 | |
| 17 | Miguel Oliveira CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team (RS-GP22) | 27.00 | |
| 18 | Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo Team (GP23) | 18.00 | |
| 19 | Marc Marquez Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) | 15.00 | |
| 20 | Dani PedrosaRed Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) | 13.00 | |
| 21 | Lorenzo SavadoriAprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | 9.00 | |
| 22 | Jonas Folger GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 (RC16) | 9.00 | |
| 23 | Raul Fernandez CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team (RS-GP22) | 8.00 | |
| 24 | Joan Mir Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) | 5.00 | |
| 25 | Michele Pirro Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | 5.00 | |
| 26 | Stefan Bradl Team HRC (RC213V) | 5.00 | |
| 27 | Danilo Petrucci Ducati Lenovo Team (GP23) | 5.00 | |
| 28 | Pol Espargaro GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 (RC16) | 0.00 | |
| 29 | Iker Lecuona Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) | 0.00 | |