Where would you think the best spot to see the MotoGP from would be? Pit lane and the boxes? A grandstand? Or trackside down at a corner somwhere you can get really close? Motorcycle enthusiasts and medical men choose the latter, volunteering their services for the days to work hard but also get their thrills being up close.

I spoke to a couple of the medical men trackside at the Silverstone MotoGP who were obliging enough to chat while we had the bikes occasionally screaming past (all conversation ends both from the point of view of the noise, as well the chance to watch wide-eyed as Lorenzo and co lean in to the corner and then accelerate away again).

The medical men at the MotoGP work in pairs: one paramedic and one doctor on hand for any crashes or trackside emergencies. The men I spoke to have been doing this for over ten years, purely because they had the qualifications and are motorcycle fans - what better combination can you get? They say plenty of injuries occur, but not as many as you would think for what is a high-speed, dangerous sport. In 12-14 years the doctor has seen four deaths, and Jorge Lorenzo once in the back of his car. More after the jump.

On the MotoGP Silverstone round, they say that things are a little flat here without Valentino Rossi and I can confirm, there is a general disinterest most obviously for anyone who ever followed this sport exclusively because Rossi was here. It’s almost like watching the grand prix of the future - the post-Rossi era. Which is a particular shame for the other talented riders here who are still exciting to watch and are still giving their top efforts in what is an interesting MotGP season.

The medical men and I talked shop - the mind of Casey Stoner and the personality of Jorge Lorenzo. The doctor confirmed that Lorenzo didn’t make a good impression on him, saying “I met him once - I had him in the back of the car but he didn’t make a great impression. Although he had just crashed, so perhaps it wasn’t a good day for him.” Never meet a man when he’s a bad mood.

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