Four of the five current MotoGP manufacturers will take part in next weekend’s prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed hillclimb event, it has been confirmed.
With premier class competition currently in the middle of its month-long summer break ahead of the British Grand Prix – set to take place on the first weekend of August – the bulk of the series’ manufacturers have elected to head to the famous hill climb in Chichester, just outside London in the United Kingdom for the Festival of Speed from the 13th to the 16th of July.
Yamaha is the only marque that will be absent from the event in an official capacity, with the other four all displaying their respective MotoGP prototype machines up the 1.9 kilometre hill climb across the four day event.
Ducati’s Desmosedici GP23 will be campaigned by test rider Michele Pirro on Thursday and Friday, while its race riders in the shape of reigning world champion Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini will pilot the bike across Saturday and Sunday.
KTM tester Mika Kallio will run the Austrian manufacturer’s RC16 up the hill across the opening two days before Brad Binder takes over on Saturday and Sunday, while the GasGas outfit will facilitate the return of long-awaited riding return of Pol Espargaro on the opening two days before Augusto Fernandez pilots the bike on Saturday and Sunday.
LCR will be in action on Honda’s behalf with Alex Rins’ machine – though the pilot is yet to be determined due to the Spaniard still recovering at home in Spain from a broken leg.
Last but not least Aprilia will also be present at Goodwood with its RS-GP machine, with Lorenzo Savadori running the bike in factory colours on Thursday and Friday before the Cryptodata RNF outfit takes over with its prototype across the weekend – Miguel Oliveira piloting the bike on Saturday before Raul Fernandez takes over the reins for Sunday action.
A handful of MotoGP legends will also be present at Goodwood across the event alongside the contemporary riders and teams, with the likes of 15-time grand prix champion Giacomo Agostini, five-time premier class champion Mick Doohan, two-time champ Casey Stoner as well as former two-timer Freddie Spencer making appearances amongst other motorcycling grand prix champions of the past.
