Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS riders Franco Morbidelli and Thomas Lüthi are excited to get their first taste of MotoGP action around the breathtakingly fast and technically challenging Silverstone track.

Franco Morbidelli is targeting a return to the top 15 when the MotoGP World Championship resumes at Silverstone this weekend for the British Grand Prix.

At 5.9km in length and featuring a complex blend of 18 corners, Silverstone is the longest and one of the most difficult tracks on the calendar to master for both rider and machine.

Italian Morbidelli has proved to be a fast learner in his impressive rookie season in MotoGP and he is hoping to showcase his skills again this weekend after a positive one-day private test at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli on Sunday.

Morbidelli spent a full day on track at his home venue courtesy of scorching hot conditions on the Adriatic Coast and he could fine tune the set-up of his Honda RC213V machine in preparation for forthcoming races.

Morbidelli has an outstanding record at Silverstone and he has finished inside the top six in each of his three appearances in Moto2, which includes a second place in 2016 and third last year.

Thomas Lüthi was also able to gain more confidence and experience after he completed a successful test at a sun-kissed Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.

The Swiss rider is now prepared for another intense weekend of action, with a key priority evaluating a new surface laid earlier this year to alleviate some of the notoriously bumpy sections at Silverstone.

Lüthi has enjoyed tremendous success at Silverstone in the past, with three podiums and two other top five finishes from his eight Moto2 appearances. His best memory was a narrow victory over Morbidelli in 2016 when he charged through the pack to the top step of the podium from 10th on the grid.

The MotoGP action kicks off on Friday morning with the opening 45-minute practice session commencing at 955am. And the 20-lap race is due to start at 1pm local time on Sunday.

Franco Morbidelli: 17th in the overall standings on 22-points

“The Misano test was a good one for me because it allowed me precious time you don’t have during a race weekend to understand more about the bike. And it was obviously important to be present so I had time to learn the track on a MotoGP bike and get some data for when we return for the race next month. We made a lot of laps and I had a lot of fun on the bike and we used also used the test with one eye on Silverstone. I’m really looking forward to this weekend because Silverstone is long but very fast and you get the chance to unleash the full potential of a MotoGP bike. My goal is clear and that is to be competitive from FP1 and to be fighting back inside the points again.”

Thomas Lüthi: 24th in the overall standings

“The Misano test was positive from the point of view that when I go back for the race next month then I have experience of the track on a MotoGP bike, which is always a bonus. It was incredibly hot in Misano but we could play with some things on the bike that I hope will allow me to be stronger in the next races. Silverstone always poses a tough challenge because the layout is wide and fast and the weather can also play a big part. Hopefully the weather will be fine because it is a pleasure to ride at such a fast and historic track like Silverstone. My goal is to try and reduce the gap to the front guys and to be in the points.”