Classic races added to Silverstone MotoGP card

This year's British MotoGP World Championship round at Silverstone on August 27-30 will include two classic races as part of the weekend entertainment.

In addition to the feature MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 action, a two-race extravaganza of four-stroke and two-stroke classic machinery and period riders will complement packed programme of events.

The four-stroke classic race will centre around the popular and proven Lansdowne Classic Series featuring pre-1964 Grand Prix machinery including the iconic Manx Nortons and Matchless G50s.

Former Bonhams British Historic series champions Glen English and Mike Russell will be in action along with current front-runners Duncan Fitchett, plus Stan Woods, the former works Suzuki team-mate of Barry Sheene.

The two-stroke classic race is from the early 1980s and will feature 24 riders all on identical machinery. Yamaha's iconic 250cc LC machines and riders will all hail from the Yamaha Pro-Am and Marlboro Clubmans 250cc and 350cc production classes.

Riders for the 250cc production battle will include former hot-shots Charlie Corner, Curt Langan, Mick Crick, Kim Barker and Ivan Gray. Further announcements on the rider line-up are expected within the next few days.

The practice and racing for both classes will take place throughout the weekend and the riders and their machinery will be based in Silverstone's Formula One Wing Paddock which will become a Classic Village for the weekend.

Chris Herring of event promoter, Circuit of Wales, said: "All of us, including Dorna, recognise the rich heritage of motorcycle racing in Britain and the fact that 13 of the first 17 500cc/MotoGP world titles were won by British riders, so to have the Lansdowne Series as a support race captures that fantastic era.

"The Yamaha Pro-Am and Marlboro Clubmans series are still recognised as the championships that provided some of the most spectacular racing and launched endless careers.

"To now bring those riders together at Silverstone in August and for the first time since the early 1980s will be something very special."