Miguel Oliveira “optimistic” after Brno test, past Sachsenring form

After a private test at Brno and with a strong Sachsenring record behind him, Miguel Oliveira is quietly optimistic for this weekend’s German MotoGP.

The Pramac Yamaha rider spent two days fine-tuning the M1 at Brno, venue for next weekend’s Czech round, targeting key weaknesses such as tyre management in hot conditions, a problem during recent outings at Mugello and Assen.

“Sachsenring is a track I really enjoy,” said Oliveira. 

“Back in 2021, I was fighting for the win here, and even last year I felt competitive, so I‘m optimistic we can have a strong weekend.

“I want to keep building on the progress we‘ve made—even in Assen, despite the retirement after that first-lap contact, I felt confident I could have brought home a good result.”

Oliveira is currently just 23rd in the standings with six points, albeit after an injury interrupted campaign, as Yamaha nears a decision on Toprak Razgatlioglu’s 2026 team-mate.

A big result in either Germany or the Czech Republic would do Oliveira’s chances no harm and, with its twisty layout, Sachsenring places less emphasis on outright power, potentially playing into the hands of the Yamaha package.

But while the Brno test delivered encouraging signs for Oliveira in areas like electronics and setup, team principal Gino Borsoi warned that much of the data wouldn’t transfer directly.

“Compared to the Sachsenring, they are two completely different tracks, so in terms of setup, we won’t be able to use some of the solutions we tested.

“We hope that the [lower] temperature will help us find that missing performance, especially when it's very hot and grip levels are not ideal.”

However, rain is also a threat throughout all three days of action in Germany.

But as a MotoGP winner in the wet, Oliveira might be able to capitalise more than most if a rainstorm arrives.