Diogo Moreira says Silverstone P10 wasn’t enough for Honda

MotoGP returned from the summer break at Silverstone, a circuit that challenged riders with its fast, flowing, and long-corner layout—conditions that put heavy strain on the tyres. For Honda, the weekend delivered mixed results, with a race that saw seven riders fail to finish. Luca Marini was the highest-placed Honda rider, crossing the line ninth, while LCR Honda’s Diogo Moreira followed in 10th.

Moreira started from 14th and fought his way into the top 10 during the race. However, the Brazilian felt the result should have been better. “It was a difficult race and a difficult weekend,” Moreira said. “The positive thing is that in the end I was able to fight for a top-10 result. We really struggled on this track with the long corners.” He also acknowledged the broader picture for Honda—two riders inside the top 10—but stressed that the ceiling was higher. “For Honda it was a good race,” he added, “but I’m aware that more than a top-10 result was possible. We are in a difficult situation.”

The race itself left Honda with fewer finishers than hoped. Joan Mir fell on the first lap, and Cal Crutchlow also crashed out, meaning Moreira was one of only two Honda riders to take the chequered flag alongside Marini. Moreira’s frustration was sharpened by the sense that his potential wasn’t fully realised at a high-speed track where the long corners demanded more from the bike.

The gap to the front underlined that frustration. Moreira finished 25.4 seconds behind race winner Raul Fernandez, who took victory on the Trackhouse Aprilia. Even so, the points mattered: the 10th-place finish kept Moreira in the championship fight, moving him to 15th overall with 54 points after Silverstone. In Honda’s standings, he remained the second-best Honda rider behind Marini, who sits in 10th in the championship.

Silverstone’s sprint on Saturday offered a similarly tight story. Moreira again reached 10th, finishing immediately behind world champion Marc Marquez, who was “passed through” in the closing stages. The battle for the final point was decided by a razor-thin margin—Moreira missed out by just 0.027 seconds. He described the opening phase as the hardest part, explaining, “It wasn’t so bad. In the first three corners I was stuck in the middle and had to fight to find space.” Once he settled, his pace improved: “After that I could ride my rhythm and I overtook some riders. All in all, it went well.”

Tyre degradation played a decisive role as the sprint progressed. Moreira noted, “The tyre dropped off strongly at the end. That was difficult, but we controlled the race well.”

After the British Grand Prix, Moreira sits 15th in the MotoGP riders’ standings, and the next stop on the calendar is Aragon on 28–30 August.