MotoGP, Oliveira: KTM’s loss is Aprilia’s gain

He’s a real character, Miguel Oliveira Angelo Falcao De Oliveira. Serious, professional, educated, correct, fast, and successful. Yes, the Portuguese “dentist” of MotoGP, is a twenty-seven year old dad and the winner of five races (to date) in the reigning class. Few have done this, as he prepares to leave KTM for Aprilia.

Five wins, quite the feat in today’s MotoGP

In championships in which it’s very difficult to stand out, every single win takes on real weight. And this is why we believe that five wins in today’s MotoGP is pretty impressive, especially if they are scored with the KTM. Not that the Mattighofen bike is to be considered a piece of junk, far from it, but, as they themselves admit, there is room to improve.

And, as the results show us, Oliveira is able to get the very best out of it, making the most of every good opportunity. He scored two wins in 2020, partly thanks to the concessions, partly thanks to his right wrist, and one win in 2021, as well as three podiums.

This season, which is not yet over, has already seen Miguel win at Mandalika and Buriram. Perhaps due to the wet conditions, you say? Maybe, but the conditions were the same for everyone, and he beat them all.

From RC16 to RS-GP: what Mattighofen loses, Noale gains

And so now, Miguel will leave the factory Red Bull Ajo KTM team to go and race for the satellite RNF squad. A new team, a new bike, new surroundings. The new situation will help the rider, not because the men he’s racing with today are lacking in any way, quite the contrary. But the feeling is that he can do even better aboard a RS-GP.

The RC16 will grow, we’re sure of that, You’ll see that, test after test and race after race, the Austrian four-cylinder will challenge its rivals, also at dry tracks. But it will lose a rider that has fought for the cause from 2015 until now. And he has won, not only in MotoGP, but also Moto3 and Moto2, for a total of seventeen victories in all. Yes, KTM’s loss is Aprilia’s gain.

As Miguel himself has said, only time will tell. So we’ll see. But first, let’s round out 2022 in style.