Year: 2016

Miguel Oliveira faces this weekend the 3rd stage of the Moto GP World Championship. After scored in Qatar, in his premiere of the category, and after one difficult race in Argentina, Miguel Oliveira reveals to be motivated for his third stage in Moto 2 which will take place in Austin, Texas in 8 to 10^th of April.

Prepared for another race, the rider wants to continue “working on the starters and in the first laps” as he explains, in order: “to keep fighting to develop more and more.” Without a break between races the squad are already in the USA and Miguel Oliveira ensures that he is focused in maintaining the line of work: “During these days I had time to analyze the last races and to understand some important things. I feel I’m in a good way and I’m more and more comfortable with the bike. I’m very motivated to keep working and overcome myself.” He also said.

The American circuit has 9 right and 11 left curves which bring strong breaks but also some overtaking opportunities due to the wide track. The first free practices session is scheduled for Friday by 16h55 and the second one by 21h05(Lisbon time).

Today Miguel Oliveira ended his second GP in Moto2 in the 21th position, in the second round of the Moto GP World Championship. The contest at the Argentinean track showed, once again, the fighting character of the Portuguese rider that never gave up in a very difficult race.

Miguel Oliveira did one cautious depart but he was recovering several positions during the race, and arrived the 16^th position in several lap in front of some more experienced riders of this category and even in the front of his team mate. After the depart from the 18th position, from the sixth grid, the rider suffered some setbacks during the race and one mistake made him lost some places as he explain: “Today was an atypical race. We started with rain in the warm-up and with a wet track and I was happy with the bike and with the feeling. We knew that the race would be for sure in a dry track and that we would have to use the slick tires. And this is what happened. I did one mistake, 4 laps from the end, and it make me lost several positions in a group that I was leading. So, we ended the race a little disappointed; It was a pity that we couldn’t achieve the points.” finished the Leopard Racing rider.

Today, Miguel Oliveira signed the 18th time in qualifying session for the Argentina GP, the second round of the Moto GP World Championship at Termas de Rio Hondo circuit. The young rider that in the free practices was 13^th, only 0,620s away from the leader of the session, faced some difficulties during the qualifying and will depart from the 6^th line of the grid.

The extreme closeness of this category was clear during the several free practice sessions and also in qualifying where Miguel Oliveira was little more than one second away from the pole position: “Today started well. At the third free practice session I improved a lot also in my time. At the qualifying I tried to do a quick lap behind some fast rider that could help me but it didn’t happen.” Starting by explain the Portuguese rider from Leopard Racing

The young rider did his best lap in 1m44,424s and registered an evolution rythm all over the weekend: “Obviously this position is quite better than the one in Qatar. I’m closer to the front and tomorrow I’m going to try another race of recovery positions and try feeling better and better.” ended Miguel Oliveira.

The only Portuguese running in the Moto GP returns to track for the important 20 minutes of the warm-up at 14h10, with the race scheduled to 18h20 (Lisbon time).

At the first day of practices for the Argentina GP at Termas de Rio Hondo circuit, the Portuguese rider Miguel Oliveira registered the 13^th best time of the first session, ending the day with the 16^th best mark, just about 1,047s from the champion of the category. The rider from Almada improved his time in the second session of the day running in 1m45,580s with a temperature of 32ºC and 53ºC on the asphalt.  

In the first free practices of the second GP of the season, Miguel Oliveira took the opportunity to collect some information from the track, as he explains: “Today was taught day because of the track conditions like the head and the dirt. Specially in the first session it was hard to be fast. But even so I’m happy because we just used the same tire – the hard one – and with the mentioned conditions I was able to feel well. In the afternoon session, it turned to be even more complicated with higher temperatures and more movement in the bike. But nonetheless I finished just a second ahead from the best record. It’s not my goal, of course, but I feel I’m improving my driving and I’m feeling more comfortable with the bike.”

“I’m satisfied with today’s outcome, in a track that I like and tomorrow we’re going to make some tunings in the bike to help me to be faster and to improving the feeling with the front of the bike. I will do my best, especially in the qualifying session to be able to depart from a good place in the race and avoid some incidents in the first turns.” pointed out Miguel Oliveira.

The Moto2 riders return tommorow for the last free practices at 14h55 and the qualifying session will occur at 19h05 (Lisbon time).

Miguel Oliveira faces next weekend the second round of the World Moto GP Championship in Argentina at the circuit of Termas de Rio Hondo. The Portuguese rider that finished in the 11^th place his first race ever in Moto 2 and of one Portuguese, is confident for the Motul de La República Argentina GP.

This is one circuit that the rider from Almada likes and which, especially after the last race, he is feeling very motivated to return: "Argentina is a circuit that I really like and which fits with my ridding style. After I analysed the last race, I was pretty satisfied with my evolution.  It was the first race in this category and I didn’t know very well what I was going to find so I'm very happy and I hope that here in Argentina I can continue this developing turn and also reflecting it into results.” Explains Miguel Oliveira.

The first free practices are scheduled for the next Friday (1^st April) at 14h55 and the second at 19h05, Lisbon Time.

In the première of the World Moto GP Championship and in the very first race ever of a Portuguese in Moto2, Miguel Oliveira managed one recover of 11 positions and achieved the points in Losail circuit, Qatar. The Portuguese rider did one very consistent race, with a good pace that ended in the 11^th position right before some riders with a lot more experience in this category.

At the end of the race, the young rider from Leopard Racing explained how he felt good on track and that the most important of it was the continuity in the evolution in his riding: “Today it was a good race. I had a few difficult laps in the beginning and a taught start, I didn’t depart as I wanted and I had a few hits with some riders and some falls in front of me. So I had to cut the speed and I lost time in the first three laps. When I found myself alone I imprinted a good pace and I managed to recover positions and at the end I was able to regain a lot of time without doing many mistakes. I learnt a lot and at the end, finishing in the points is a good result so I’m very happy with that and I’m also very motivated to Argentina. I want to continue in this learning process and feeling better and better with the bike and the team.”

At the same time, in Costa da Caparica, hundreds of fans supported the Portuguese rider in one event organized by the fan club of Miguel Oliveira with the support of Almada City Council and Sport Tv. The Argentina GP is scheduled for 01 to 03 of April.

Miguel Oliveira will depart in the first race ever of a Portuguese in the world championship of Moto GP in Moto 2 from the 22th position, eight line from the starting grid, after the qualifying session in Losail, Qatar. The Portuguese pilot establishes as a target to feel good on track, collect more information and to make one constant and progressive race.

Today, the qualifying session occurred with worse conditions than on the previous days with strong wind, as the rider from Leopard Racing explains: Today the qualifying didn’t go as we expected, I was less comfortable with the bike than yesterday and I couldn’t feel good with the setting” start by telling Miguel Oliveira.

“Today the wind was strong than yesterday and that affected my performance a little. At the end, we tried to improve those feelings with one adjustment in the bike but it turned out to be even worse. Tomorrow I will have to make a race from back to front, but I don’t have any goal in particular. I think that finishing in the points positions it would be a good result but mainly the key is to collect the maximum information I can for myself during the race.”

The first race from this new stage of the Almada young pilot is scheduled for 16h20, Lisbon time, and it will be broadcasted in one giant screen in Costa da Caparica from 14h00.

Miguel Oliveira started the best way the first round of the world Moto GP Championship of 2016. The Losail circuit in Qatar was the stage of the first free practices of the season which open the way to Sunday’s race. The portuguese rider from Leopard Racing showed to be increasingly confident with his kalex in two fast and consistent sessions.

Miguel Oliveira started in 13th (2'00.955) and in the second session he was 20^th beating his best mark of IRTA tests and improving his time from one session to another (2'00.635)

“today was a very positive day. I learnt a lot and I had one improvement of my time when compared to the tests. I was also able to do my best lap without using new tires. So I consider that it was a good beginning. Today I was able to took a lot of conclusions about my riding style and what I have to improve, and also in what concerns to the bike’s trust. I can’t wait to ride again and confirm this speed and also to be even faster.” Said the pilot after the sessions.

Tomorrow the portuguese rider will return to the track by 16h15 (Lisbon time) for the third and last free practices session. Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday’s at 15h55 and it will decide the grid line for this first stage of the championship. 

The young Portuguese of Leopard Racing is about to begin the first round of the MotoGP World Championship 2016. After the last pre-season tests which reinforced the positive development from Almada´s rider, Miguel Oliveira is confident for his rookie year in Moto 2, at the controls of a Kalex bike and a new team. It is on the next weekend week in Qatar, under artificial lights, that takes place the start of the new Moto GP season 2016. The Losail circuit is a stage with a special atmosphere for all the teams and riders and is where it will be disputed the first of 18 races on the calendar.

It is recalled that even before the championship start, riders and teams had the opportunity to test this same route that was in fact the first stage of official tests for Moto3 and Moto2 teams. With the regulation to be changed this season to give the same opportunity to the teams with fewer financial resources, the pilots saw stipulated 10 maximum days of private testing and the usual 6 days of IRTA official tests. Miguel Oliveira and Leopard Racing Team started its testing program in February at the Catalunya circuit, passed by Valencia and headed to Jerez de la Frontera where fulfilled seven days of the 10 stipulated and where the pilot from Almada suffered a fall and fractured two fingers in the right hand. Ten days later, the pilot of Almada was heading back to the Andalusian circuit to start the official tests, conditioned by the fracture of the ring finger of the right hand that caused him discomfort in adapting to the new category. Already in Qatar, in the circuit of Losail, occured the last three days of official tests that allowed the rider and team to take another step in its evolution, getting little more than 1 second fastest lap of the timesheets.

The anxiety of the Portuguese rider is common at the beginning of each season, but this year has a different feel to race with riders who never ran against. However, Miguel Oliveira is optimistic for the start of the season. "Every year I look forward, but this year is a different feel: there are pilots I do not know and I do not know how it will be to compete with them; It will certainly be a process of discovery and learning. I know I still have to adapt more to this new category, especially at distance running. During the last tests significantly improved the bike and my driving and this was reflected in my lap times, so I am optimistic for this first test. I hope to be among the fastest in a few races. "

Always careful for his fans and followers, Miguel Oliveira did not hesitate to  create a unique moment and organized in partnership with the Almada State and Sport TV, a Miguell Oliveira Fan Club space, where on Sunday from 12:00h everyone can watch a live and exclusive transmission of the first race in Qatar. The space takes place in Caparica Spring Surf Fest at Paradise Beach in Costa da Caparica and admission is free. "I know there are more fans of motorcycling in Portugal and wanted to find a way to meet them. As this is another important moment for me, nothing like feeling the unconditional Portuguese support that is always present. With the support of the Almada State, the Caparica Spring Surf Fest and Sport TV, we aligned the conditions for a live coverage of this first race. I think it will also be a good opportunity to demonstrate that motorcycling also moves crowds. ", Concludes the Moto3 vice-world champion .

The Losail track was built in 2004, is located near the city of Doha and has a total length of 5380 meters. It received it´s first Grand Prix in 2004 but only in 2008 appeared in night race format. The track mixture curves of high and medium speed with a straight finish over 1000 meters long.

The Portuguese pilot made a name for the 7th edition of the city council of Almada intended to promote young talents aged between 12 and 35 years old studying or council residents. According to the councilor, António Matos, the participation of the world Moto3 runner-up was crucial for the success of this initiative. It was received 74 applications which represent about 140 young people involved.

“In such kind of initiative, which promotes the talent of the Almada youngs, it was very important that Miguel Oliveira answered to this challenge with all the availability, being always present and available to share his experience with other young people.” Starts by explaining the councilor who continues: “His collaboration showed to be crucial in order to reach, in this edition, one applications record.”

To the rider from Almada is a matter of pride to be part of a project like that: “For me is such an honour to see my talent recognized and to be able to inspire other young people makes me feel reflected in them. I couldn’t deny my support to such an initiative like this. If my dream and my talent weren’t been supported I would not be who I am today. And to know we set a record leaves me, obviously, very pleased.”