Friday was tough for Miguel Oliveira at the MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix. After an encouraging eighth place in the first free practice session, the Trackhouse Racing rider finished only 17th in the afternoon session, thus missing direct access to the second phase of qualifying.
The Portuguese described the conditions he encountered on Friday in Portimão: ‘The morning was surprising, because for sure we didn’t expect… the damp track yes, but the sand no. Luckly we could get the track a little bit clean and the afternoon was a normal session, let’s say. The track condition in the afternoon was okay. We know it’s a bit tricky because at a certain point the temperature dropped a lot – so it was not ideal, but we could ride’.
Oliveira then explained what affected his performance and argued that a top ten place could have been within reach, hoping to do better on Saturday: ‘I’m struggling a little bit with the front end of the bike, we don’t have a lot of grip. Especially in the afternoon I struggled a lot to turn the bike in the fast corners and it seems to be the main issue for me. Also stopping is not ideal, but anyway I could have fought for a place in the top ten – I feel like, but just didn’t click everything together. It’s a big shame, but hopefully tomorrow we can turn things around and finding a good setting. And if you’re fast you’re going through, if not you stay out. Hopefully I’m fast tomorrow’.