Bad luck forces Miguel Oliveira to miss a big chance which Jack Miller grabbed
MotoGP injuries ruled Miguel Oliveira out of contention for a Suzuka 8 Hours seat this year, but the Pramac Yamaha rider says it’s a race he’d love to do.
Pramac Yamaha MotoGP rider Miguel Oliveira has revealed his ambition to compete in the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race.
Oliveira missed three GPs earlier this year due to injuries sustained when he was taken down by rookie Fermin Aldeguer in Argentina, also forcing him to step away from Suzuka 8 Hours consideration.
Speaking ahead of team-mate Jack Miller’s runner-up finish with Yamaha’s factory squad at this year’s Suzuka edition, the Portuguese explained:
“I would love to go to Suzuka. But since I got injured, I talked with [Yamaha Racing managing director] Paulo Pavesio and said: ‘If you're doubting between me or any other rider, please feel free to knock me off that line-up’ – and that’s it.
"But at some point, I would like to do it.”
The 2025 8 Hours was won, for the second year in a row, by LCR Honda MotoGP rider Johann Zarco and Takumi Takahashi.
The pair finished 34.2s clear of Yamaha’s all-star team featuring Miller, WorldSBK race winner Andrea Locatelli and Suzuka veteran Katsuyuki Nakasuga.
Both Honda and Yamaha place great importance on the iconic race in Japan, their homeland.
Miller's presence is likely to be viewed favourably by Yamaha while his chase for a new contract is ongoing.
Miguel Oliveira has uncertain MotoGP future
Like Miller, Oliveira went into the summer break with his 2026 future still uncertain.
Although announced as joining Pramac on a two-year deal, the second year of Oliveria’s contract is conditional, and Yamaha is yet to announce the identity of Toprak Razgatlioglu’s 2026 team-mate.
Until that decision is made, Oliveira sees every MotoGP event as a chance to impress.
“I think the fact that Yamaha wants to make a final decision on the line-up further on in the season… for me, it makes it clear that they’re not [yet] 100 percent sure,” Oliveira said at Brno.
“So of course, every opportunity you have to show what you can do, I think that's a big plus.”
Unfortunately for the five-time KTM race winner, so far he has scored just six points this year and is currently the lowest-placed Yamaha rider ahead of the MotoGP season restart in Austria this weekend.
Like his fellow M1 competitors, Oliveira has struggled with rear grip issues.
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