Year: 2016

Miguel Oliveira took the 9th place of today’s race, getting his best finish ever in his première in Moto2. The rookie from Leopard Racing who departed from 14th showed, once again, to have the pace to be side by side with experienced riders on this category. In one though race, the young rider has been able to defend himself and He finished in a good 9th place. His pace was one more time close to the squad (1’38,001). It should be recalled that this weekend the rider set as a goal to finish the race and he has done an excellent work on the task he was entrusted.

“Today was a difficult race. We made a small change to the front suspension in Warm Up. In the race the wind picked up and I could not be as fast as yesterday. I'm happy because this was a result that the team deserved, and I needed to finish a race. It is my first top 10, I want to re-energize for Mugello to be still at the top.”

On the next week, the runner-up of Moto3, will participate, between 11 and 15th of May in one initiative promoted by the Santiago do Cacém City Hall and organized by Miguel Oliveira Fan Club that aims to highlight, among other goals, the several good sporting conditions that the municipality has to offer.The Portuguese rider will be present in one endurance race that will take place in SAKI (International Kartodrome of Santo André) in 14th and 15th of May.

And the weekend after that, there will be the 6th stage od the Moto Gp World Championship in Mugello between 20 and 22th of May.

The Portuguese rider, Miguel Oliveira, was the 10th faster during the first practice session of the day in order to prepare the French GP in the circuit of Le Mans. In the second free practice session, he did the 19^th best mark and managed to be faster than in the first one.

The Portuguese from Leopard Racing started the 5th stage of the World Moto GP Championship with a record of 1'38.696, that he fast managed to overcome in the second one where he run in 1'38.648, only 1,278s ahead from the best mark of the day.

The portuguese explains to be confident for a good qualifying tomorrow: “It was a good day, we started running strong. In the afternoon I did my best lap on used tyres: we realized that the tyre choice we did this morning was not right for the race. This means that we will have to go in a different direction. All in all the feeling with the bike is good, I’m confident and positive for tomorrow.”

Tomorrow practice resumes at 09:55 for the third practice session before Qualifying commences at 14:05 for the intermediate class.

After one remarkable performance in Jerez de La Frontera, Miguel Oliveira seems to be on track for a successful season. Ready for the fifth stage of the World Moto GP Championship, at the French circuit of Le Mans, the younger rider explains how the last race was important and what are the goals for this weekend.

It must be recalled that the young rider, in the Andalusian circuit, has suffered a fall when only 6 laps are missing till the end of the race and he was running on 6^th.

This circuit, is one of the most traditional ones from the championship and it is also very appreciated from the Portuguese rider from Leopard Racing: “Le Mans is a circuit with a very stop & go ridding style. It has a lot of slow curves, strong brakes, slightly down. It is a circuit which is also very narrow and it is going to be interesting to see how I’m going to adapt myself to the track conditions.” Start by explaining Miguel Oliveira.

“I felt very comfortable in Jerez with the bike in qualifying and also in race. I have run very consistently and I’ feeling that I’m on the right track. I fell more and more comfortable with the brake and the speed-up of the bike so, besides the fall, I fell I have taken an important step on my learning curve.” Recalls the rider.

“I need to score this weekend because besides the good results of the last traces, I was unable to finish it. I hope that this weekend I could score and also give a little strength to my team who also wants to see me finish the races. So that’s the motivation I want to have this weekend, and as always I’ll give my best.”

The first free practices will happen this Friday by 09h55, followed by the second at 14h05.

After the best qualifying ever in Moto2, Miguel Oliveira was about to do his best race in this category, when he suffered a fall in the 4^th stage of the Championship. After a great startup, and being able to keep his position in the first minutes when so many fighting were happening, the Portuguese managed to be in front of several experienced riders like Thomas Luthi or even the champion of the category. Step by step, he reached the 6^th place which was able to keep for almost all the race of 27 laps. And it was only when 6 laps are missing that in the curve 4 the Portuguese from Leopard Racing suffered a fall.

“I knew it was going to be a tough race, and besides knowing that I had the pace to be in the front I wasn’t expecting to be so well placed. When 6 laps were missing I realized that I would not be able to be develop more, so I decided not to take more risks. Then I made one mistake in the curve 4m, when just 6 laps were missing to finish the race and I fell. Nevertheless it was a good race. Unfortunately I couldn’t finish the race that it was going to be my best race so far.” He explains.

After a weekend with many learnings and positive results, the rider from Almada takes positive aspects from this GP of Jerez de La Frontera. “I took very positive things, I had most of the time in the front of the champion of the world and of very other experienced riders like Thomas Luthi. I rather fall trying something good than fall in 20^th or 16^th.”

In the 4^th stage of the World Moto GP Championship there were a lot of portuguese who went to Jerez de La Frontera to support the portuguese rider: “I have no words to describe the gratitude I have for all of the portuguese who came here to support me. I would say that I saw at least one portuguese flag in every stand. Thank you so much to all the portuguese and I hope to be able to give them a good result soon.”

The next GP will be in two weeks in the french circuit of Le Mans.

In the first day of the World Moto GP Championship in Jerez de La Frontera, Miguel Oliveira saw his first session be shortened because a technical problem which forced him to loose almost half of the training session. However, the Portuguese rider had the 21^st best time in both sessions.

In a consistente and evolutive pace the portuguese rider from Leopard Racing stayed about just one second ahead from the best mark (1’44.027s) and wants to work to get a good qualifying.

“Today wasnt a perfect day. We had, in the first session, a technical issue that made me stop half of the session. So I lost a lot of time and the opportunity to ridding.” Starts by explaining.

“This afternoon we did plent laps with a softer tire to see if it give us some advantage for the race and we discovered that the setting of the rear shock isn’t the best. So we’re going to work and analyse this afternoon in order to have a good qualifying and after that a great race.”

The last free practices are scheduled for tomorrow by 9h55 and the qualifying will happen by 14h05.

The Portuguese rider Miguel Oliveira who has started to have some technical issues in the beginning of the weekend, saw the second day ended differently. The rider reached the 12^th best mark in the final training session and the 14^th position in qualifying. The rider from Almada will depart from the 5^th line of the grid after his best qualifying in this season and category so far. It’s important to note that the rookie was managed to stay in the front of the champion of the category and also another veteran riders.

“We had some problems by collecting data in the first sessions but I managed, with the team, to overcome it and found my pace.” Start by explaining the Portuguese. The last free practices had reflected the positive evolution of the Portuguese who improved significantly his record.

“today’s qualifying turn out well, we managed to do the strategy we had though. In the last exit we used the soft tire and we did very good laps in a good pace. The bike can have some developments but for now I’m confident in a good start an I’ll try to do everything I can to achieve points.” Ended the rider.

Jerez de La Frontera GP happens tomorrow at 11h20 and Miguel Oliveira will have the support of several Portuguese people who traveled to the circuit and that will stay in a bench reserved for the fan club.

The 4th stage of the World Moto GP Championship starts this weekend and the Portuguese rider, who is nominated for the Portuguese golden globes alongside with Cristiano Ronaldo and other important names, wants to continue the good work developed so far. After feeling more comfortable in Austin, and after he was succeeded in recovering positions, Miguel Oliveira is confident for the first race in European soil, where also many Portuguese people will be supporting him.

Familiar with this track, the Portuguese from Leopard Racing wants to feel good again with the bike. “After the last race in Texas, the goals are high from Jerez. I have succeeded in getting a good pace during the last race. Going to a circuit which I’m familiar with and where we ran more kilometers and have more information collected, will help me and I hope to be able to go a step further in qualifying. I will try to be in the front of the race, to avoid the typical problems of the first laps and to have a more traditional race. I want to continue in this developing line and to keep improving the confidence in the bike in order to have a better result.” Starts by pointing out the rider.

The stand to support Miguel Oliveira in Jerez de La Frontera will see a lot of Portuguese thrilled with Moto2 race, and this is something that the rider considers to be extremely important: “Since this is the GP more close to Portugal, I’ll have a stand where I can be able to feel the support of the Portuguese. And that will be very helpful.” He ended.

The action in the circuit that was built in 1986 will start on Friday for the first free practices by 09h55 and the second by 14h05, lisbon time.

A good start, several positions recovered, the 10th best lap of the race, and the pace of the top five. The third race of the Americas GP didn’t end as well as expected for the Portuguese rider from Leopard Racing but it did however, have a lot of positive elements.

After starting well by recovering several positions, for two times in the third race of the year (for the second time of the year?) the Portuguese rider fell in the 6th curve of the 10th lap which forced him to abandon when when he was so close to the 15th place: “I think that today’s race was positive, despite the final outcome. I had a good start and I was able to be aggressive in the first laps, I recovered 7 places, but after that some riders blocked my progression. I fell again to the 23rd but I recovered again for 16^th and I was very close to the points before I lost the control of the front of the bike. I didn’t return to the race since the conditions weren’t good enough to make another recovery. We’re leaving with the head up high and eager to do better in the next race.” Said the rider

“I know that the result isn’t good but I feel that I progressed, especially in my driving and in the way I’m approaching the bike and the new category.” The 21 year old rider from Charneca da Caparica added.

The next stage, the first in European soil, takes place in Jerez de La Frontera, in two weeks and Miguel Oliveira will count with one being on his homesoil for Portuguese support.

Today the portuguese from Leopard Racing, Miguel Oliveira, signed the 20^th position in qualifying from the Americas Gp in Moto2. The rider will depart from the 7^th line of the grid for his third race in this category.

In today’s qualifying, the Portuguese rider, did his best lap in 2’10.405s, the best time of his weekend, after just a few moments of the qualifying. “Today the qualifying was complicated. I improved my personal best so I’m happy. Obviously  the position doesn’t let me satisfied but it was a very competitive session with may riders very close of the front times. The record of the circuit was improved in more than one second. The time I made would give me the 6^th place of the grid last year.” started by explain Miguel Oliveira.

“This year all the riders are running very fast and it is needed to be faster. I’ll be specially focused in the start-up and in the first turn in order to recover positions. It will be a very physical race and very demanding one. I’ll try to not to make mistakes.” Ended the rider.

The race in the Austin circuit that will end Americas GP wil take place tomorrow by 18h20, Lisbon time.

At the beginning of the GP of the Americas in Austin, Texas, Miguel Oliveira did the 17th and the 22th place in the free practice sessions of the day. In the preparation sessions from the third GP of the season, the rider from Leopard Racing, which last year in Moto3 signed here the fastest lap and who departed from the first line of the grid, expects to continue improving and finding the best tuning which allows him to continue evolving.

"The day hadn’t a bad start. I had a first session very close from the top 10 with a positive pace but when the riders started to go faster I started to find some problems which with the team we couldn’t solve, nor in the second session. I hope that tomorrow we could continue the work in order to improve the bike for me to be faster.” Explains the young rider from Almada which in the first session did a time of 2’12,073s and who was able to improve in the first laps of the second session (2’11,698s).

The Moto2 riders return to the track tomorrow by 16h55 for the third and last session of free practices, followed by the qualifying at 21h05 (Lisbon time).