Year: 2022

It is already this weekend between the 4th and 6th of November that the 20th and final round of the MotoGP World Championship takes place. As is tradition, the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, in Valencia, Spain, will be the stage for this last race of the 2022 calendar, a circuit characterized by being rotated counterclockwise, with a sui generis variation of speeds.

Miguel Oliveira arrives in Valencia thirsty for another podium this season and with Falcão's aim aimed at climbing to eighth in the championship's overall standings (a position from which they are only 10 points away) or ultimately remaining in ninth, that is, still within the top-10 of the most successful MotoGP riders in 2022, which in itself «would already be a positive result».

The nine curves to the left and five to the right extend along about 4,000 meters of perimeter of the Valencian community circuit, a circuit where the pilot from Charneca de Caparica has added several achievements throughout his sporting history, including three victories: one in 2015, in Moto3 (by RedBull KTM Ajo) and the remaining two in Moto2, consecutively in 2017 and 2018, also with the Austrian team.

The race at the Valencia track takes place on Sunday, November 6th, at 1:00 pm, mainland Portugal time, over 27 laps, covering 108km.

GP Valencia schedules

Friday, November 4

FP1 – 08:55-09:40

FP2 – 13:10-13:55

Saturday, November 5

FP3 – 08:55-09:40

FP4 – 12:30-13:00

Q1 – 13:10-13:25

Q2 – 1:35 pm to 1:50 pm

Sunday, November 6

WUP – 08:40-09:00

Race – 1:00 pm

The ambassador of Hyundai Portugal, Miguel Oliveira, advances to a new experience on four wheels, this time in the rally universe.

It is common knowledge that the KTM Red Bull Factory Team pilot has a special affection for four-wheel competition and competing in a rally is an accomplished goal, an added experience when at his side will be the navigator Carlos Magalhães, who usually pairs with the pilot Bruno Magallanes.

After the end of the 2022 season in Valencia, and the test of the new bike with which he will line up on the MotoGP grid in 2023, the rider from Almada will compete on the 12th and 13th of November in the Rallye Casinos do Algarve – Taça de Portugal, behind the wheel of the Hyundai i20 N Rally2, in a race that will also feature the presence of the Team Hyundai Portugal duo, Ricardo Teodósio and José Teixeira.

After the experiences of four wheels at speed, the Portuguese rider will for the first time enter what is one of the most challenging modalities in motor sport – the Rally. Behind the wheel of the Hyundai i20 N Rally2, Oliveira will compete in the iconic asphalt rally “Rallye Casinos do Algarve”, a test that counts for the Portuguese Rally Cup.

This participation is another milestone in Miguel Oliveira's partnership with Hyundai, a long relationship filled with joint actions. In addition to the launch of an exclusive version of the Hyundai i20 Miguel Oliveira, in July this year, the Portuguese rider took command of the Hyundai i30 N TCR in the Portuguese Speed ​​Championship (CPV) stage, on the mythical circuit of Vila Real, accompanied by his father, Paulo Oliveira. In this race, Miguel Oliveira proved that, whether on two or four wheels, he doesn't leave his credits in the hands of others, and won in the TCR category of the CPV.

“It was precisely four years ago that we told the world that Miguel Oliveira was our Ambassador. In November 2018 we prepared an action at the Estoril Circuit, where Miguel had his first contact with the Hyundai i20 R5. This was Miguel's first experience with Hyundai, driving a rally car. And the idea of ​​one day participating in an official competition was born right there. Therefore, it is with great pride that today we confirm that he will race the Rallye Casinos do Algarve at the wheel of the Hyundai i20 N Rally2”, said Sérgio Ribeiro, CEO of Hyundai Portugal.

“It is no secret that Miguel is a lover of speed on four wheels, and with the end of the MotoGP season, this seemed like the ideal opportunity. We are sure it will be a great experience for him, full of emotion. And you won't be alone. This race will have a special mentor, an Algarve with an enviable curriculum: the pilot of Team Hyundai Portugal, Ricardo Teodósio, accompanied by his navigator José Teixeira, will also participate and attack the victory in his Hyundai i20 N Rally2”, advances the CEO of Hyundai Portugal.

“For those who know and follow me, you know that I am also passionate about four wheels. I've had some experiences on the track, but this is a big challenge, to do a race on the road. I'm looking forward to it, I'll have my adrenaline pumping to adapt to the car and the stages. This is yet another great experience with Hyundai and my aim is to make the most of it and have fun. I'm very happy to also have a reason to be closer to my fans, in Portugal and live in an environment different from my usual competitions”, says Miguel Oliveira.

Stay tuned to our social media and learn all about this new experience of Miguel Oliveira with Hyundai.

Miguel Oliveira described the race in Malaysia as «frustrating» and confessed that he is looking forward to finishing the season.

“Without a doubt, it was a very frustrating race. I've had races like this throughout the year, with a good start, but then, and somehow, the limitation comes. On circuits with a very low level of grip, it seems that we suffer a little more than normal», confessed by saying Miguel Oliveira to SportTV, who stressed that his race in Malaysia,“was in reverse from the 11th., 12th round'.“

«I had absolutely nothing to defend myself, I lost when accelerating, I felt a lot of instability at the edge of the tire to be able to turn the bike… Then, when we lost grip at the rear, we ended up overloading the front tire a lot, because we only stopped with the front wheel. It's frustrating to see such a big difference… Physically, with the driving, I couldn't do anything different that could overcome these difficulties.”

Miguel Oliveira was aware that one of the problems in the race would be the tires, but he stressed that he was not in a position to protect them, since the strategy was to «go on the attack and that's what I did, since it was the only strategy to recover positions'. The Portuguese also mentioned that the limitations in the race were the limitations found in qualifying «behind Manini, Marquez when they did their fast laps. I communicated everything to the team, we did the best we could from yesterday to today, but it wasn't enough. The solution to solve these problems is lacking, but that is not new…»

Therefore, it is normal that Miguel Oliveira is looking forward to the end of the season, as he stated:

“Somehow I'm looking forward to finishing it and very motivated for what's to come. I think it will be a major turning point for me.”

Falcão also talked about what we can expect for the last race of the season, on November 6, in Valencia.

«To seek eighth place, which is 10 points away, which are still a few, but it is possible. This will be my focus in Valencia, at least maintaining this ninth position in the championship would already be a positive result».

In the end, Miguel Oliveira also addressed the death of Dietrich Mateschitz, victim of a terminal illness that had lasted a few months, referring to the importance of the co-founder of Red Bull in the energy drinks market, but not only, «since he managed to build a brand that transcends the drink, which did something unique and pioneering in Formula 1». The Portuguese said that we have to «take this feeling of gratitude for what he has done and for what Red Bull will certainly continue to do».

After a difficult weekend, but where he always showed his confidence and competitiveness, Miguel Oliveira finished the Malaysian Grand Prix in the points, as he crossed the finish line in Sepang in 13th position, a result that put Falcão in ninth position of the MotoGP Championship.

In Malaysia, Miguel Oliveira's objective was to repeat what he achieved in Australia a week ago, that is, a proof of recovery. With medium compound on the front wheel and soft compound on the rear wheel, like all the pilots on the starting grid, the Portuguese showed again his competitive streak in the first part of the race, when he reached the ninth place of the race after having started in 18th position.

At a circuit where he won in the Moto3 (2015) and Moto2 (2017) categories, Miguel Oliveira tried to maintain the excellent pace at Sepang (which again presented temperatures above 30°C, close to 40°C on the track), but the problem was the second part of the race, once again the KTM and the tires did not match and, lap by lap, Falcão was losing positions, finishing the Malaysian Grand Prix in a hard-earned 13th position (+23.918), but even so in the of points.

With this result, Miguel Oliveira moved up one position in the general classification of the MotoGP Championship, now occupying ninth place, with 138 points, 10 points less than Alex Rins.

MotoGP Championship that still hasn't a champion, despite the triumph of leader Francesco Bagnaia (40m14s332), which did not happen due to the third position of Fabio Quartararo (+2s773), who now has 23 points less than the Italian, who needs to reach 13 .th position in Spain to win his first MotoGP title.

The next stage of the MotoGP Championship, the last event of the year, is scheduled for Valencia, specifically for the 6th of November.

Despite starting from 18th position on the starting grid, Miguel Oliveira is motivated for the Malaysian Grand Prix, although he recognizes that it will be a race… «complicated».

Miguel Oliveira confessed to being «dissatisfied» with the performance of his KTM on Saturday, a feeling that had already come from Friday and that was confirmed right at the beginning of FP3, «when I quickly realized that there was some limitation with the bike».

“In qualifying I had an unexpected vibration in the front tire and I had no time to change it and no option to go out with the other bike because it had a different setup. Anyway, it was a day to forget.”

Therefore, Miguel Oliveira foresees a «difficult» race, but «a complicated race for everyone». Despite considering his pace acceptable, Falcão is not sure if it will be enough to regain so many positions.

“But the race here is very long, it's very physical and I think that, in that part, I can make a little more difference and recover positions. So we are obviously going with all the motivation for tomorrow.”

Miguel Oliveira also revealed his strategy for Sunday:

“Starting well, doing a good first lap, which is essential here, and quickly finding our rhythm. This is the strategy and it is the best we have at the moment.”

Regarding the adaptation to new tyres, something that was lacking on Friday, Miguel Oliveira confessed that he is “in no man's land” in relation to the front tyre.

“With the hard, which I experienced this afternoon, I don't have the grip to brake straight and I don't have much support when I lean the bike, although it's a very stable tyre. The medium is quite unstable, but has much more grip. Therefore, we will have to decide between these two characteristics, which for us is the most important to prioritize in the race. In terms of the rear tyre, I think it will be quite simple for everyone, as almost everyone has used the soft tire in the rear because it is the one that lasts longer and is faster.”

Remember that the Malaysian Grand Prix is ​​scheduled for Sunday, October 23, at 8:00 am from Continetal Portugal.

After a «strange» Saturday, as he himself qualified, Miguel Oliveira reached the 7th row of the starting grid of the Malaysian Grand Prix, where he has already won in Moto3 and Moto2. However, due to Pol Espargaró's penalty, Falcão will leave the 18th position of the starting grid, that is, on the 6th row of the grid.

As he stated on Thursday and Friday, FP3 would be decisive for Miguel Oliveira's aspirations in Malaysia. Therefore, Falcão, after a first run on the track and after the pit stop, managed to break the 2m00 barrier in the first half of the session, specifically with 1m59s756, at the time the eighth best time of the session (before returning to contact with his mechanics, minutes later, the Portuguese fell to ninth place and, when he returned from the pits for the final part of the session, to 15th position).

In the final time attack, the Portuguese reached a new best record (1m59s405), but ended up staying out of Q2, as he had the 15th best time, at a time when the rain had returned to the Sepang circuit. The best was Jorge Martin, with 1m58s583.

By way of pre-qualification, the Portuguese driver achieved a stimulating eighth time in FP4, setting the clock for his fastest lap in this session at 2m00s355.

In Q1, with the ambient temperature around 35º C (ten degrees less than that verified on the asphalt) and with a very high humidity (one of the highest in the entire World Championship), Miguel Oliveira, with medium tires at the front and soft at the back, showed once again his competitive impetus and, with a time of 1'59.699, reached 19th position on the starting grid in a race that will feature 20 laps over the approximately 5,500 meters of track. The best of the session was the leader of the World Championship, Francesco Bagnaia, with 1m58s645. In Q2, the fastest was Jorge Martin, with 1m57s790, a new record at the Sepang circuit.

However, Miguel Oliveira will leave the 6th and not the 7th row of the starting grid of the Malaysian Grand Prix due to the penalty imposed on Pol Espargaró. But that doesn't stop us from having one more of Falcão's famous cannon starts in the race scheduled for 8:00 am on Sunday (Mainland Portugal time), but also a recovery race, by the way, as happened in Australia last week, when Miguel Oliveira left the 24th place and finished in 12th place.

Miguel Oliveira revealed that he did not use a new tyre in the first practice session of the Malaysian Grand Prix, which conditioned his pace on the first day of practice in Sepang. Something he hopes will not happen on Saturday.

"It was a strange day… We chose the strategy of not putting on any new tyres at the end of the first free practice session," Miguel Oliveira told. "But the truth is that we also did not expect all this rain in the afternoon. It was a little unexpected in that sense, but we can't control that. So, what we can't control, we adapt. That's what we did."

And the adaptation went well, as Miguel Oliveira revealed that in the second session, with the wet track, he felt "a little better" with the bike than in the first session, which gives confidence for Saturday.

"Today does not take away our confidence, as Binder, with the used tyre, was slightly slower than me. With the new one, he managed to make that step forward. That makes us a bit more relaxed when it comes to the fast lap. I think tomorrow we will go much faster than we did this morning. 

Miguel Oliveira also pointed out that the forecast does not indicate rain for FP3, which means that the Portuguese will have the opportunity to do the session "dry". 

"In the afternoon we already have a more uncertain forecast…. What is certain is that if it rains, it will be the rain that fell this afternoon, meaning that everything will be delayed again and we will have to hold practice a little later."

In fact, Miguel Oliveira said that the schedule delays due to external factors do not bother him, quite the opposite.

"As I said earlier: what I cannot control, I adapt. With the delays, we have a little more time, we have to keep taking water, hydration, nutrition, make all this adaptation to train a little later. I believe that these changes don't bring any factor that has to be worked on with a different psychological approach, but we have to be ready to go out at any time." 

In the end, Miguel Oliveira confessed that he only wishes "to have a normal new tyre to understand where our bike is and its level", something he will only get in Saturday's FP3.

MotoGP has announced the provisional dates for the official tests of the MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 classes for next year. Miguel Oliveira will feel his new bike already this year…

The first official test will take place later this year, two days after the end of the season, scheduled for 6th of November, at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia. In other words, it will be in Spain, on 8th of November that Miguel Oliveira will have contact for the first time with his new motorcycle. Later, but already in 2023, we will have the pre-season in Sepang/Malaysia (shakedown between February 5th and 7th and tests between February 10th and 12th), in Portimão/Portugal (between March 11th and 12th, two weeks before the start of the MotoGP Season, precisely in the Algarve), in Jerez de la Frontera/Spain (May 1st) and in Misano/Italy (September 11th).

As a curiosity, here are the Moto2 and Moto3 dates:

Moto3: March 9th and 10th (private test but with all teams present)

Moto2: March 14th and 15th (private test but with all teams present)

Moto2 and Moto3: March 17-19

Moto2 and Moto3 (Jerez de la Frontera): May 2

Moto2 and Moto3 (Silverstone): August 7

Miguel Oliveira hopes, until the end of the year, to finish once again on the podium, which could happen this weekend, in Sepang, Malaysia, where Falcão won in Moto3 (2015) and Moto 2 (2017).

“There are 50 points to be won and obviously 50 points would be the ultimate goal. But personally, finishing the season with another podium would be very positive and that's what I'm looking for", said Miguel Oliveira in Sepang, where, on Friday, he will hold the first two qualifying sessions for the Malaysian Grand Prix. , scheduled for Sunday, at 8:00 am from Portugal.

Falcão is very confident with a good performance on a circuit where he was already happy in the lower categories of the Motorcycle World Championship, despite never having completed a race in the main category, since, in 2019, after the first training session, he went to the Germany to be operated on in the shoulder.

“But we have a lot of information, since all the pre-season tests were carried out here, including in the Covid 2020 period (…) The whole process that we have been doing has been quite good, even at Phillip Island. Despite the difficult weekend, we were very competitive, in the race even more so. (…) We arrived here with a lot of motivation and with the certainty that we will be able to be competitive.”

Miguel Oliveira also stated that Sepang is a circuit that he likes «quite a lot» and that he has always adapted «very well» to the track, emphasizing, however, that it will be important to be among the top 10 on the starting grid of the race on Sunday.

«It seems that the morning periods will be the most favorable periods to have a good time, especially on Saturday morning, with a clean track and already with plenty of rubber. It will be important in this free practice to be in the top 10 and to get a good qualifying for the race, as the starting position in Sepang is something very important.”

The Malaysian Grand Prix free practice sessions, as well as the qualifications, are as follows:

Friday, October 21

FP1 – 3:50 am to 4:35 am

FP2 – 8:05 am to 8:50 am

Saturday, October 22

FP3 – 03:50-04:35

FP4 – 7:25 am to 7:55 am

Q1 – 8:05 am to 8:20 am

Q2 – 8:30 am to 8:45 am

It is already this weekend, between 21 and 23 October, that the penultimate event of the MotoGP World Championship takes place, the 19th of the calendar, which is followed by the traditional Spanish round, in Valencia, to close the 2022 season. Miguel Oliveira arrives in Malaysia, after an astute 12th place in the Australian round, when he had started from 24th on the starting grid, to embrace the challenge of competing for the penultimate time with the colors of the Austrian RedBull KTM family, over the 5,543 Km perimeter of the Malay route.

About 50km from Kuala Lumpur, the Sepang International Circuit, in Malaysia, is another circuit that welcomes the MotoGP caravan again, after two years without hearing the engines around there, due to the pandemic world situation held between 2020 and 2021.

With four slow corners followed by two long straights and ten medium to high speed corners, the Sepang track is especially favorable for overtaking maneuvers and a lot of acceleration. Being a long track, it is also one of the most tiring for the riders, due to the intense heat and humidity, with temperatures above 30º expected, even in October.

Oliveira was already quite happy at the Sepang Circuit, but, in the premier class of MotoGP, it will be the first time he will compete at the track. His achievements at this circuit include two victories with the orange colors (2015, in Moto3, and 2017, in Moto2), as well as two podiums (in 2013, in Moto3, at Mahindra, and in 2018, in Moto2, with Red Bull KTM). In 2013 he also set the fastest lap on the circuit, setting the track record (in the Moto3 category) at 2:14.339.

The MotoGP race, scheduled for this Sunday at 08:00 a.m, mainland Portugal time, will have 20 laps, covering practically 111km covered by the racing peloton.

GP Malaysia time schedule:

Friday, October 21

FP1 – 03:50-04:35

FP2 – 08:05-08:50

Saturday, October 22

FP3 – 03:50-04:35

FP4 – 07:25-07:55

Q1 – 08:05-08:20

Q2 – 08:30-08:45

Sunday, October 23

WUP – 03:40-04:00

Race – 08:00