MotoGP: Second British MotoGP unlikely says Dorna chief

A second British MotoGP at the Silverstone circuit is unlikely to feature on the world championship calendar in the foreseeable future.

Rumours have been rife Silverstone has made a formal request to host a MotoGP race in the future.

But with Donington Park’s existing contract with Dorna including rights to host the British MotoGP event next season and 2009, the chances of a second UK premier class race being added to the calendar remain remote.

Or Silverstone’s much rumoured desire to stage the British MotoGP will have to wait until 2010 at the earliest.

Silverstone hasn’t hosted the British MotoGP since 1986, but now stages World and British superbike races.

But Dorna chief executive Carmelo Ezpeleta told MCN: “We have an agreement with Donington for two more years until 2009. To be honest we haven’t started to discuss anything with them beyond that.

“As for Silverstone, we are in contact with any track that wants to host a MotoGP, but it has to be a FIM homologated. Right now the only circuit in Britain with homologation is Donington.”

Camelo Ezpeleta said he would not completely crush hopes of two British GP races taking place, but added: “There is always a possibility. The situation where we make more than one GP in the same country is because one is not damaging to the other. This is important.

“For example we were in Mugello and then we tried in Imola and this did not work very well so we decided to finish with Imola. Now Mugello is very stable and now we have Misano on the calendar.

“A second GP in the UK to be honest is a little bit difficult but you never know. We always say the location of a GP is not a question of borders. It’s a question of interest. I think it’s unlikely to have two GPs in UK but if the situation changes we will be very happy to consider that.”

Dorna discussions are currently taking place with Silverstone officials, but that is investigating the possibility of forming a MotoGP Academy in England, designed to unearth young talent for the future.

Current British prospect Bradley Smith is a successful product of the MotoGP Academy but learned his craft in Spain.

Camelo Ezpeleta said: “We are in contact with Silverstone about a MotoGP Academy in England.”