The GoPro British Grand Prix weekend glows with Thursday's Press Conference featuring Ducati duo Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo, HRC's Marc Marquez, Yamaha's Valentino Rossi, Angel Nieto team's Alvaro Bautista along with home rider LCR Honda's Cal Crutchlow.
Also, a special arrangement has been made for the riders to chat with NASA astronaut and MotoGP Fan – Astro Feustel – from the Space Station (408 km away from earth) instead of regular FanQ’s.

Marquez lifts up with current championship lead and says, “That philosophy is my style, when I feel good I attack and attacking is the best way to defend.”

And adds, “Now we forget Austria, we’ve here in Silverstone with a new surface, the weather forecast is good but you never know…then we’ll try to be there on the podium on Sunday, and if we can, try to win.”

“Silverstone is a great track, full of history,” says the Doctor.

“In the last few years there have always been great races. Last year was a good race, and last year it was unbelievable weather for England! This year it looks trickier, but we hope it will be dry as much as possible.”

Last time winner at Austria, Lorenzo, mirrors Rossi’s thoughts, “It’s a good track, I’ve loved this track from 2010, I was very quick. Sometimes I’ve had more difficult years but I love the track, and hopefully at least we’ll get a sunny day on Sunday.”

Dovizioso, who is the last year’s Silverstone winner, feels confident about new asphalt adds, “At the moment we are very fast, more or less at every track, so I expect to be competitive at this track. It’s long and there is new asphalt so no one knows, but our bike is working a bit better last year, we had a good test and I’m sure we can start from a good base.”

Crutchlow heading into the race says, "I have one aim at Silverstone and that's to win. Why not?"

"It's nice for me to be going well at the last two races and hopefully it'll continue for Silverstone. Hopefully it doesn’t rain as well! I'd like a nice dry race."

Earlier this morning, Briton, Cal Crutchlow, renews and extends his current contract with Honda for 1-more year – which expires at the end of 2020.  This deal gives him a usual two factory-rider contract style.

“I am very pleased to renew and extend my relationship with Honda HRC and the LCR Honda Team again in 2020,” Crutchlow said.

“There is no better way to show him that than by making a new agreement with him, so we have decided to extend our contract,“ Honda Racing Corporation president Yoshishige Nomura said.

Alvaro Bautista, who is presently riding at Angel Nieto team, joining Aruba.it Racing - Ducati in WorldSBK for the next year where he is teaming up with Chaz Davies.

Spaniard has 49 Grand Prix podiums to his name, including three premier class rostrums and 16 victories across 125 and 250. 

Bautista explains, “For me next season will be a new challenge because I will move from this Champ after 16 years and I will move to World Superbike with Aruba Ducati official team. I’m so motivated, it’s a new challenge for me. I think the confidence Ducati put in me is really good and together we are very strong. I think we can get a good result there and have good fun, it’s a Championship that’s growing, so I look forward to this new challenge and I will also try to enjoy my last races in the MotoGP™ Championship.”

Furthermore from the paddock, KTM has officially confirmed that Loris Baz will return to MotoGP action at Silverstone this weekend in place of the injured Pol Espargaro, as rumoured.

Espargaro is still recovering from sprain at Brno, most notably inflammation of his spinal cord, letting him out of the British Grand Prix and also neither of their previous rider available for replacement – Mika Kallio and Jonas Folger.  As Baz reckons, "I'll do my best and try to enjoy the opportunity."

The ballgame for this weekend action starts at 09:00 AM local (GMT +1) with Free Practice 1.