Miguel Oliveira has been the only Portuguese to reach the MotoGP World Championship so far. Despite his influence on young aspiring riders looking to pursue a career in motorcycling, no other compatriot has emerged clearly on the path to a potential future in the premier class.
In a press conference before the Portuguese Grand Prix, Oliveira was asked about the possibility of Portuguese riders reaching the world championships. In response, the Trackhouse Racing rider stated:
– Look to my right, see three Spaniards. I feel a bit of an outsider in the championship sometimes, because I was a unique case. Several ingredients came together for me to perform and reach the World Cup. If any other Portuguese is capable of reaching the World Cup, I can’t answer for sure, I don’t know why I don’t have the ingredients. When I started 15 years ago, what you needed at the time was completely different from the current needs of children. There’s a generational difference there. I don’t know what they need right now to reach the World Cup.
