THE HOME OF BRITISH GP

The Grand Prix of Great Britain has been on the GP calendar since 1957, the first official year of the FIM Motocross World Championships. British tracks and riders have been a major part of our history, and it was at the Hawkstone Park circuit where that first GP was held. The event was won by British legend and two-time World Motocross Champion Jeff Smith riding a BSA.

Since that very special day more than 60 years ago the British GP has visited many amazing circuits and seen some very special GP winners. Hawkstone Park was the mainstay for the 500cc Grand Prix after that 1957 debut, and for eight years the best big bike riders competed around the tough sand track. Riders like Bill Nilsson and Rolf Tibblin scored victories at Hawkstone, but it was Smith who finished that early Hawkstone Park era with wins again in 1963 and 65.

Hawkstone Park would drift in and out of the FIM Motocross World Championship series in the 500cc class, as circuits like Farleigh Castle and Donington Park were visited. Many legends have won at these circuits, but none more popular than the British legend and three-time 500cc World Champion, Dave Thorpe.

Thorpe would win GPs at home in 1984, 1988 and 1989, although one of his greatest performances was in 1985 when he didn’t even win the GP. Crashing in the first corner with Mervyn Anstie (father of former MXGP rider Max Anstie) Thorpe got up in last place and rode all the way to first. Completely worn out from the charge he was eventually repassed by Andre Malherbe, as the Belgian won the GP.

The 250cc class was also loaded with memorable moments, from the first victory at the Ipswich circuit by another British legend Dave Bickers in 1962, to Stefan Everts dominating at the Foxhill circuit in 1995, 96 and 97.

The 250 class ran at several different circuits between 1962 and the late 1990’s, with Donington, Hawkstone Park and Foxhill being the three circuits that brought big crowds and an exciting atmosphere.

The 125cc class didn’t see a British Grand Prix until 1975, and it was Belgian legend Gaston Rahier who won at the Pembrokeshire circuit. Several different riders won in the class between 1975 and 1999, but one of the biggest wins was that of local rider Paul Malin who took victory at the Foxhill facility in 1995. A massive crowd arrived at the circuit and the win by Malin was the only time a British rider won a GP in that era.

In the new millennium the British GP spent a few years trying to find a home. Foxhills had aged out and was no longer a GP facility while Hawkstone Park had also disappeared from the GP calendar. Sure, some cool events at places like Isle of Wight, Matchams Park, Donington Park, or Mallory Park were in, but it wasn’t until Steve Dixon built a circuit at the Matterley Basin area in 2006 that the British GP came into its own again.

It was a magnificent circuit that attracted attention worldwide and remains a favourite for the riders, media and spectators. Antonio Cairoli, Jeffrey Herlings and Tim Gajser have all had major success at the circuit, with Cairoli winning five times, those victories coming in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2019 and 2021. Herlings has four wins at Matterley, two in the MX2 class and two in MXGP, those four victories coming in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020. Tim Gajser has three, in 2016, 2022 and 2023.

Rather incredible, apart from that very first Grand Prix win at Matterley Basin by Stefan Everts and a win by Clement Desalle in 2013, the only other winners in the 13 year history of the MXGP class at Matterley are Cairoli, Herlings and Gajser.

Matterley Basin MXGP Winners

2006 Stefan Everts

2011 Antonio Cairoli

2012 Antonio Cairoli

2013 Clement Desalle

2014 Antonio Cairoli

2015 Antonio Cairoli

2016 Tim Gajser

2018 Jeffrey Herlings

2019 Antonio Cairoli

2020 Jeffrey Herlings

2021 Antonio Cairoli