MotoGP’s busy summer schedule continues apace this weekend as Donington Park hosts the British GP, round eight of this season’s championship. The forthcoming run of events sees MotoGP visit some of the most frequented race tracks in premier class history with Donington, Assen and Sachsenring having held over 100 championship races between them over the years. Donington has held a round of the championship since 1987, and is the British GP venue for the 22nd consecutive time this year. Last year’s wet-drying race saw the first ever Bridgestone-shod victory at Donington with Casey Stoner. Suzuki’s Chris Vermeulen finished third to take one of his four podiums of 2007. Suzuki and Bridgestone also scored a podium in 2005, in wet conditions, with Kenny Roberts Jr. Donington remains, however, one of the most difficult tracks on the calendar for Bridgestone. No Bridgestone-shod rider has ever scored a dry-weather MotoGP podium finish, or taken pole position, at the track.
American riders have played a huge part in the success of Michelin in motorcycling’s premier-class World Championship. Six legends from the USA have won a total of ten 500cc/MotoGP crowns with Michelin tyres over the past quarter of a century.