Miguel Oliveira, known for his achievements as a five-time MotoGP race winner, is gearing up for his highly anticipated WorldSBK debut, emphasizing patience and adaptation as he approaches this major transition. The Portuguese rider is set to join the WorldSBK grid for the first time at the season-opening round in Australia on February 18–20, marking a significant change in his career as he adapts to new equipment, a different paddock, and fresh competition.
Major Adjustments Await the Former MotoGP Star
After over a decade in the grand prix paddock since 2012, Oliveira faces a major overhaul: switching motorcycles, teams, tyres, and entering a new racing environment. While this is perhaps the boldest move in his career, Oliveira remains motivated to take on the challenges ahead. Sharing his excitement in a recent interview, Oliveira remarked,
“It’s definitely a big change, but I’m quite motivated to start this new chapter in my career.”
He elaborated on both the technical and personal adjustments required, saying,
“Changing a bike is already for itself a big change, but also changing paddock and meeting new people is also another challenge.”
First Impressions from Off-Season Testing
Oliveira began adapting to his new bike, the BMW M1000 RR, during a November test session at Jerez. Evaluating the initial experience, he noted that adjustment extends beyond learning the machine. The rider will have to recalibrate his style to match the demands of World Superbike and adapt to Pirelli tyres, presenting a unique set of technical and tactical demands. As he explained,
“As a big change, you need to adapt technicalities, for sure, in your riding style – riding position is, for sure, also different – and so that’s the approach you take to the lines you do on the racetrack, how you approach braking, throttle, tyres – everything is very different,”
Miguel Oliveira said.
Expectations and Measured Approach for the Upcoming Season
Aware of the challenge, Oliveira expressed confidence in his new team’s support, stating,
“But I really believe I will be surrounded with the best, and the team will help me for sure getting [up] to speed quite early.”
He further commented on his approach to the season:
“But I believe it takes just a bit of time and patience to get up to speed and to start to think about being competitive.”
When asked about his long-term goals, especially for 2026, Oliveira remained pragmatic, opting for caution and focus on improvement.
“We should go a little bit race-by-race,”
he said, restating his intention to meet the high expectations set by joining a team that has been World Champion for the past two seasons. He noted,
“I need to be able to put myself up to speed and up to a competitive level where I can meet their expectations. So, that’s the target.”
Early Preparation with Teammate Danilo Petrucci
Alongside his new teammate Danilo Petrucci, Oliveira returned to the track early in the year, testing the M1000 RR at Portimao on January 6. The duo is scheduled to continue preparations at Jerez during the first official WorldSBK test of the season on January 21–22, solidifying their readiness for the opening round in Australia.
Looking Ahead to the Start of the WorldSBK Journey
As Miguel Oliveira readies himself for his WorldSBK debut, his approach highlights the demands of switching to a fresh championship, both technically and mentally. He and his team continue to focus on incremental improvements throughout the pre-season, aiming for competitiveness while acknowledging the need for time and patience. With thorough preparation underway and opening races in Australia looming, all eyes will be on Oliveira as he embarks on this defining new chapter in his racing career.
