Miguel Oliveira, former MotoGP race winner, has openly stated that he realistically expects to finish just outside the top ten and remain over one second behind the leaders as he adapts to the Superbike World Championship. His initial showing came during testing on January 16 at Phillip Island, where he placed 11th, trailing the fastest rider, Nicolò Bulega, by 1.2 seconds. Transitioning to WorldSBK follows Oliveira’s six productive years in MotoGP, earning five wins for KTM, but those achievements have not yet translated into top results in his new category.
Early Testing Highlights and Weather Disruptions
Despite his strong MotoGP background, Oliveira’s start in WorldSBK has been hampered by limited preparation opportunities. Early January testing sessions faced significant weather interruptions: rain affected the Jerez trial, and the Portimão test was so impacted that BMW moved its entire team to Valencia for practice. Consequently, the Phillip Island test marked Oliveira’s first complete dry track day on WorldSBK equipment since November, giving him a crucial opportunity to familiarize himself under better conditions.
Focus on Gradual Progress Over Immediate Results
Reflecting on his performance at Phillip Island, Oliveira emphasized the importance of incremental improvement rather than rushing for competitive lap times, saying,
“The road is upwards, that we know for sure. As long as we are making the steps and feeling what is happening underneath me, that’s the most important thing.”
He further remarked,
“At the moment, we feel we are doing exactly that, so I guess that’s our expectation and at the moment we are ticking the boxes to be as ready as we can for the race weekend.”
Adapting Riding Style and Comfort
Oliveira explained that his main priority during testing was to adjust his riding style and gain comfort on the new bike.
“Mainly adapting the riding style, with some setup changes to make me feel more comfortable. That’s what we can do in one day,”
he noted. He acknowledged that without preseason runs, it is difficult to know what to expect in terms of pace.
“I don’t know what to expect without testing,”
Oliveira admitted.
“I need more experience and more laps, but we are making steps forward and understanding what is happening. We try to be as ready as possible for the race weekend.”
Plans for Continued Improvement
Looking towards subsequent testing days, Oliveira described a cautious approach, aiming for small improvements rather than drastic adjustments.
“We are trying to find a bit more speed,”
he said.
“No big changes, just small adjustments.”
On the opening day of testing at Phillip Island, Oliveira managed to finish ahead of his teammate Danilo Petrucci, demonstrating promise amid a challenging learning curve.
Balancing Expectations with Realistic Goals
With a new team environment, unfamiliar tires, and a different bike, Oliveira is focused on building a solid foundation of understanding before targeting strong race results. His message centers on steady progress and patience as he transitions to WorldSBK, urging against premature expectations. This deliberate approach aims to set the stage for improved competitiveness as he gains more experience in the new championship.
