Miguel Oliveira came very close to advancing directly into the second phase of qualifying during the MotoGP British Grand Prix at Silverstone, finishing 13th in practice and missing the top ten by a narrow margin of 0.178 seconds. This strong performance showed promising progress on his Prima Pramac Yamaha.
Progress Noted on the YZR-M1 Bike
The Portuguese rider highlighted the improvements made to his YZR-M1 motorcycle, emphasizing a notable boost in one-lap speed. Oliveira shared that as he gained pace, the bike’s enhancements became more evident. After a cautious start partly due to physical condition, he increased his attack towards the end of practice, resulting in a surprisingly competitive outcome.
Surprise and Satisfaction in Final Practice Session
Oliveira described his cautious approach early in the session, opting to limit laps while waiting for an opportunity to improve. Despite a slow exit from the pits which hindered his initial plan to follow a faster rider, he managed to latch onto Jack Miller for a single lap on his second tire set, helping him close the gap to the top ten.
“I tried again to save myself a bit at the beginning of the session, not doing many laps. Then, I wanted to follow someone with the first tyre, but we were just too slow getting out of the pits. So, I knew I had a lot of room to improve with the second tyre and fortunately I could follow Jack [Miller] for one lap and that was it. There’s not much more to say. For sure, I didn’t expect to be close to top ten but it’s welcome.”
—Miguel Oliveira, Rider
Outlook for Upcoming Race Sessions
This near-top ten qualifying time marks a positive step forward for Oliveira and Prima Pramac Yamaha, hinting at a more competitive showing as the race weekend progresses. The improved bike performance and Oliveira’s growing confidence could influence his strategy in the next qualifying phases and the race itself at Silverstone.
