One of the many riders without a contract for the 2025 MotoGP season is Miguel Oliveira. The Trackhouse Racing rider arrived at the Aprilia satellite team last year in the former RNF and continued in 2024, thus fulfilling his initial two-year contract.
Renewal is a possibility, but it may not be the only one – in a very busy rider market in which there surely won’t be room for everyone in the current squad. At least one rookie, Fermín Aldeguer, has already been confirmed.
At the same time, on the track, circuit record laps and race times have been much faster. Oliveira was asked about the possible link between this improvement and the pressure of contracts, saying: ‘Do you think we are going faster because of the contracts? [Laughts] No, I don’t think so. It’s a good theory, but I don’t believe in it!’.
That said, the Portuguese rider did acknowledge that there is more pressure this year, and that it’s up to the riders to stand out for their results and performances:
– For sure there is more pressure. Most of the guys are without contract for next year. That makes everything a little bit more on the edge, that everyone wants to perform to show themselves. […]. We have to fight for the position and make ourselves shining in some way.