Miguel Oliveira has pinpointed the crucial area for improvement ahead of this weekend’s San Marino MotoGP Grand Prix: qualifying. The Portuguese rider believes better grid positions are the missing piece to unlock the Yamaha team’s full potential on race day. It’s a challenge he’s eager to tackle.
Oliveira arrives in Misano with some good momentum. Last weekend in Barcelona, he snagged his best results of the season so far, finishing 10th in Saturday’s sprint race and an impressive ninth in Sunday’s main event. Misano, however, offers a different test. The track boasts much more grip than Barcelona, a detail Oliveira noted in statements shared by the Prima Pramac press office.
“We came here after a good result,” Oliveira explained, looking ahead to the 16th race of the season. “Our goal is to keep that potential going.” The rider from Almada is set to leave Yamaha at the end of this season. He stresses that to truly shine, the team needs to step up its game in qualifying, especially when it comes to nailing a fast single lap.
He didn’t mince words about the impact of this particular struggle. “Right now, that’s what has kept us from showing our true potential,” Oliveira stated, clearly focused on finding a solution. “I can’t wait to get on track and start working.” His determination suggests he’s ready to push hard from the very first session.
This circuit holds some fond memories for the 30-year-old. He’s stood on the podium twice at Misano in earlier stages of his career. He finished second in 2015 while competing in Moto3, and then achieved the same result in 2017 during his Moto2 days. In the premier MotoGP class, his best finish here was a solid fifth place back in 2020.
Currently, after 15 races, Miguel Oliveira sits 21st in the championship standings with 17 points. Spanish rider Marc Márquez, representing Ducati, leads the pack comfortably with 487 points. This San Marino Grand Prix marks the last stop on European soil before the series heads to Asia for races in Japan, Indonesia, Australia, and Malaysia. After that, the MotoGP season will return to Europe for the Portuguese Grand Prix in the Algarve from November 7-9, wrapping up with the final race in Valencia from November 14-16.