GP winner Salac: “It’ll take me a while to realise this!”

The Moto2 race at Silverstone could hardly have been more dramatic. In the end, Filip Salac was an overjoyed first-time winner.

But first things first: American Racing rider Salac secured sixth on the grid for his Kalex in qualifying. The Czech rider got off to a good start in the race, but after a few corners he dropped back to tenth place. Salac then fought his way back up the field as the race progressed. At the halfway stage, he was in 6th place.

In the final laps, Salac battled for victory with World Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez, Alex Escrig, Ivan Ortola, Izan Guevara and Daniel Holgado. Then, at the end of the penultimate lap, drama struck for Intact rider Gonzalez: The Spaniard crossed the start-finish line whilst leading and believed the race was over. He was already celebrating his victory and eased off the throttle slightly – Holgado crashed into the rear of his bike, causing the exhaust on Gonzalez’s Kalex to bend. Salac, who was in third place at the time, took the lead following the incident. Holgado tried to counter on the final lap, but Salac resolutely defended first place. After that, Ortola, Holgado and Escrig stayed close behind him, biding their time for their chance. After a fierce final battle with Ortola, Salac crossed the finish line with a lead of three tenths of a second.

Filip Salac feierte mit einem Wheelie

Foto: Gold & Goose

Filip Salac secured his first Moto2 victory at Silverstone – it was also his first triumph in the Motorcycle World Championship. What was he thinking when Manuel Gonzalez started celebrating prematurely at the end of the penultimate lap? “It was mad. To be honest, I didn’t even know myself how many laps we had left to go. I had to look at the other riders’ pit boards, because it wasn’t showing on mine – we’d made a small mistake with the communication,” the 24-year-old had to admit. “Then I realised that he thought it was over. But I reckoned there was still one more lap to go. So I kept pushing – that was the right decision. It was a dangerous situation, but that was the reason I won the race. With three laps to go, I thought a podium finish was possible, but when it happened and I went into Turn 1 in first place, I thought to myself: ‘This is my moment’. I then tried to drive the best final lap of my life. I managed it and I’m happy. I’m now a Grand Prix winner – it sounds crazy.”

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A podium finish at his home race was followed by his first GP victory

Earlier in the 2026 season, Salac secured a podium finish at his home race in Brno. With his first GP victory, he has reached another milestone this year. “Yes. I’ve been living my dream for the last two months. The podium at home felt brilliant, and now this race win,” he said happily. “It feels unreal and it’ll take a while for it to sink in. That’s why we’re here. I’ve worked so hard for so many years with my family, my dad and my sponsors. I’m sure I’ve made a lot of people happy – that’s why I’m happy too.”

Filip Salac had a difficult time with Team Marc VDS over the last two seasons, with few successes. In 2026, he moved to American Racing. “The team respects me and they know I’m fast. I’ve shown them the speed I’m capable of,” Salac emphasised. “I won the race and the decision they made last year was the right one. I’m very grateful to the team for giving me this opportunity. It feels surreal to be a Grand Prix winner now. We have the potential to achieve even more.”