MotoGP 2018: British Grand Prix races cancelled due to heavy rain at Silverstone

In a meeting between MotoGP commercial rights holder and promoter Dorna, the International Road Racing Teams Association (IRTA) and the riders themselves, the decision to cancel the MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 races was taken following heavy rainfall at the Silverstone circuit.

The pitlane was opened as per the scheduled time, but the rain refused to relent. The MotoGP race start was delayed and a race distance direction was reduced from 20 to 16 laps.

However, as the rain continued to fall the race was finally called off. The MotoGP race director blamed the new-for-2018 asphalt track surface which had been put in place in an effort to smoothen the bumpy track surface.

It was the first time that the circuit was resurfaced in its entirety since 1996. The new surface, however, led to a lot more standing water. It appears that the races will not be held at all, and that the next time MotoGP bikes race will be at the San Marino Grand Prix weekend on the 7th to 9th of September at Misano World Circuit 'Marco Simoncelli'.

This was the first time since the 1980 Austrian Grand Prix that a premier class race has been cancelled. In 1980, heavy snow was the culprit.