Miguel Oliveira made his return to MotoGP competition at the French Grand Prix held at Le Mans roughly two weeks ago, following nearly two months away from the sport due to injury. The Portuguese rider needed time to regain his competitive rhythm, and his initial performances showed limited progress until the decisive race day.
Strategic Tyre Choice Elevates Oliveira’s Position
Le Mans faced wet and challenging weather conditions during the race, which prompted Oliveira, riding for Prima Pramac Yamaha, to select tyres that proved effective in the rain. This intelligent decision allowed him to climb through the field and reach second place, placing him in strong contention for valuable championship points. Unfortunately, a crash late in the race forced Oliveira to retire, preventing him from securing a podium finish.
Reflection on a Challenging Return
In a post-race interview with Estrella Galicia 0,0, Oliveira described the physical and mental demands of his comeback:
“My return at Le Mans was, from a physical standpoint, a challenge in every way. Being off the MotoGP pace, being off a bike for two months, and returning to competition at the incredibly high MotoGP pace was tough.”
He also recounted how he initially did not realize the significance of his race position, saying,
“For me, it was quite exciting, even though I was well aware that it was a race under very particular conditions and a big opportunity to score points. Honestly, I only realized I was in second when [Marc] Márquez passed me. That’s when I understood I had a chance to bring some good points back to the box.”
Positive Takeaways Despite Setback
Despite the disappointment of the crash and missed scoring opportunity, Oliveira emphasized the value of the experience gained during the French round.
“It was a Grand Prix in which I gained a lot of experience. That made me happy, and just being back racing over the weekend was a victory in itself,”
he explained. His return at Le Mans demonstrated both his resilience and potential to regain form as the MotoGP season progresses.
