Silverstone ticket sales spike after Assen

Monday, 8 July 2013
Following the highly dramatic Dutch TT in which Valentino Rossi returned to winning ways and England’s Cal Crutchlow finished on the podium from a pole position start, ticket sales have rocketed ahead of the Hertz British Grand Prix.


The unquestionable lure of Valentino Rossi was evident at Silverstone last week, after the seven-time MotoGP™ World Champion’s victory in Assen resulted in a significant spike in ticket sales for next month’s Hertz British Grand Prix.

With just a handful of points separating the top riders, 2013 has been one of the most open MotoGP™ seasons in recent years. Richard Phillips, Managing Director of Silverstone Circuits Limited, believes this, combined with Rossi’s return to form and British rider Cal Crutchlow’s continued success, to be the reason behind the increased interest ahead of Britain’s flagship motorcycle racing event.

Phillips commented: "Ticket sales for the MotoGP™ British Grand Prix are going very well this year, which is down to a number of factors. It’s been a fantastic start to the season, with multiple winners, including Rossi back on a Yamaha, rookie sensation Marc Marquez becoming the youngest ever rider to win in MotoGP™ and Lorenzo and Pedrosa swapping places at the top of the championship. Cal has also had a sensational year, securing three podiums and becoming the first British rider to claim a pole position in over a decade.

"Bradley Smith is also going really well in his debut MotoGP™ season, while in Scott Redding we have a Brit leading the Moto2™ World Championship. All of this, combined with the great experience fans had at Silverstone last year, has seen a real uplift in demand for tickets. As most of our reserved seating areas are now sold out we’ve had to release more reserved seating in Becketts, and our ‘Family’ tickets have also been extremely popular again this year."

Crutchlow was last at Silverstone only two weekends ago to visit the F1 race.

"The British Grand Prix was my first experience of F1 and I was blown away; I loved it," said Crutchlow. "It’s very impressive. There’s a real buzz around the Paddock and on the grid. It was good to meet Lewis (Hamilton) again – Mercedes garage. I’d love to have a go at driving an F1 car in the future, but I’m not sure they trust us MotoGP™ riders; they think we’re a bit mad."

Speaking about Assen and looking ahead to his home race, Crutchlow added: "It was great to get pole at Assen last weekend; it shows what we are capable of. I honestly think I had a great opportunity to win the race, but it wasn’t meant to be and I’m happy to have finished on the podium for the third time in the last four races. I was pleased for Rossi though; he’s a true legend and it’s good to see him back on the top step – as long as he doesn’t beat me too often. The team is constantly improving, so who knows by the time we get to Silverstone. It’s not that far away now and I’d love to win my home race."

Tickets for the Hertz British Grand Prix, which will be staged between Friday 30 August and Sunday 1 September, can be purchased on motogp.com.

Source:motogp.com





.