Brad Binder: Miguel Oliveira is “too fast not to be here”

Brad Binder says former team-mate Miguel Oliveira is “too fast to not be here” in MotoGP and hopes “something will pop up” for the Portuguese.

Oliveira is facing an uncertain future after losing his Pramac Yamaha seat for 2026.

At present, his only rumoured MotoGP option is a possible Aprilia test and wild-card role, leaving a switch to World Superbikes looking increasingly likely.

“I've had Miguel as a team-mate for many years, and when this guy is on fire, he's insane. On his day, he's incredible,” said Binder.

“So it's really sad to see the situation he's in right now.

“But honestly, I feel like for sure there's something for him out there. Something will pop up. He's too fast not to be here, for sure.

“So I really hope he finds something and he finds his confidence again and the good feeling that he's had in the past, because I'm sure the results are just around the corner.”

The pair were team-mates in Moto3 and Moto2 before being reunited at the factory KTM MotoGP squad in 2021-2022.

Oliveira remains KTM’s most successful rider in terms of victories, with five wins on the RC16, including Tech3’s only MotoGP victories in 2020.

After two seasons as a satellite RNF/Trackhouse Aprilia rider, Oliveira was paired with Jack Miller at Pramac this season.

However, Yamaha’s early move to sign WorldSBK star Toprak Razgatlioglu meant one of them needed to depart for 2026.

After missing three rounds due to injury, Oliveira has recovered fitness and taken his best Yamaha results with ninth places at the last two rounds, but remains last of the M1 riders in the championship rankings.

Oliveira’s WorldSBK options include factory race seats at BMW and Yamaha.