Table of contents:
Video: What about Miguel Oliveira? From being the fittest rider in MotoGP to scoring two points in five races
2024 Author: Nicholas Abramson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-10 16:34
He was the fittest rider in MotoGP. Miguel Oliveira seemed to have even become a real alternative to the title, or at least the greatest enemy Fabio Quartararo could have. Before the summer break it seemed that no one could stop Oliveira, but his performance has plummeted drastically.
In the four races leading up to the holidays Oliveira added 76 of the 100 points that were available. In the five races that we have been in since the restart, Oliveira has accumulated only two points of the 125 that have been available. His performance has collapsed dramatically, and it's not just a physical thing.
Styria's injury doesn't justify everything, according to KTM
That would be a feasible justification for the first races after the summer. Oliveira lost control of his motorcycle in free practice for the Styrian Grand Prix and suffered a fall at low speed, but it was quite damaged. He was limping for the rest of the Red Bull Ring double.
Mike Leitner, the director of the KTM team, explains about the situation of his pilot who "had this accident at Spielberg and was suffering. The result at Silverstone is quite good considering this injury. But since then, to be fair, it really is not a 100% explanation of what is happening with Miguel."
Oliveira's season is being a roller coaster. In the first five races he only added nine points and his best result was an eleventh place, but after the updates that KTM introduced to its bike the dynamics changed drastically. They came three podiums in a row, including a victory.
Oliveira finished second at Mugello and Sachsenring, was fifth at Assen and won the Catalan Grand Prix in Barcelona. He seemed at the top of MotoGP, a serious contender for the title, and now came the Red Bull Ring, where he won in 2020. But the castle fell apart with that injury in practice.
Since then, two points in five races thanks to fourteenth place at MotorLand. Let us remember that after the summer, when the separation of Yamaha with Maverick Viñales was forged, Miguel Oliveira appeared as a great candidate to replace him, but KTM stopped the operation sharply. It could be a clue that, together with the injury, helps to understand it.
In general, the collapse of Oliveira is being the one that KTM is suffering in general, beyond that heaven-sent victory that fell to Brad Binder. Austrian motorcycles are lagging behind, and that is especially noticeable in qualifying, although Binder's talent on Sundays is helping to make up the situation.
Recommended:
Miguel Oliveira's miracle: how KTM went from being the last MotoGP race to winning in just two races
The season was being a disaster. KTM was nominated for the 2021 MotoGP title after its spectacular breakthrough last season,
Valentino Rossi makes history again by being the first rider to score 6,000 points in MotoGP
Sunday was a very special day for Valentino Rossi and all this despite the fact that he could not get on the podium in this lap of the World Championship after the
Maverick Viñales: "It was a disaster. There are days when you have to settle for scoring some points"
MotoGP Catalunya 2017: Maverick Viñales, "it was a disaster, we were only able to score a few points"
Five drivers in 31 points, eight races to play and a single throne. Winter is coming to MotoGP
MotoGP 2017: Five riders in 31 points, eight races to play and only one throne. Winter is coming to MotoGP
MotoGP Aragon 2012: Dani Pedrosa, five points down and four races
Dani Pedrosa wins the Aragón GP of the MotoGP World Championship ahead of Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Dovizioso. Chronicle of the race and results