After a month and a half away, Miguel Oliveira returned to MotoGP this Friday. The rider had to regain his pace and feelings while not yet fully recovered from a fractured right wrist, finishing 20th in the practice session for the Solidarity GP of Barcelona.
The Trackhouse Racing rider commented: ‘I guess I expected much worse. But I could ride, I could get the feeling back on the body, on the mind especially. The time attack is still a bit confusing, but the potential is there to improve for tomorrow. So, I’m happy for that. I’m trying to enjoy as much as possible’.
Oliveira then admitted that it wasn’t easy to readapt: ‘It’s difficult. The first lap I went to brake to turn 1, I was very awake. Because the first time, even for the brain, for the eyes, everything, is kind of weird – also the devices. Even if you have everything in your mind, you do need some practicing to get back everything like normal. Especially on the time attacks, where you kind of switch off a little bit and you just ride more based on the instinct. For me it was a bit too much’.
Regarding expectations, the #88 explained that he didn’t have any before the GP started and still doesn’t know what to expect: ‘I had no idea, to be honest. I just came, I knew I was able to ride, but I didn’t know in what conditions – especially after a month and a half. It was six weeks, five races, that I missed, and the other guys were riding. Even if I am completely fine, I missed riding the bike, I missed all the experience of the past races. I don’t know what to expect, I don’t know what is a good result’.
As for potential limitations, Oliveira stated: ‘The limitation is probably going to be the pain that I have and a bit the endurance to every lap. Today the time attacks were harder than the rest of the riding, so probably the race is going to be fine. I don’t know’.