Aprilia MotoGP test role “an option” for Miguel Oliveira but needs to “see with BMW”
Miguel Oliveira has “an option” to be Aprilia’s MotoGP test rider in 2026, but it’s “something to see with BMW first”.
An Aprilia MotoGP testing role is “an option” for Miguel Oliveira in 2026 despite his BMW WorldSBK contract.
Oliveira’s signature with BMW for the 2026 World Superbike season was announced earlier this week following the Aragon WorldSBK.
In Indonesia, the Portuguese rider indicated that he is likely to work with the crew that is currently on Toprak Razgatlioglu’s side of the BMW garage.
But racing in WorldSBK for BMW does not have to be prohibitive to testing for Aprilia’s MotoGP project, Oliveira thinks.
“For me that’s an option,” Miguel Oliveira said, after finishing 11th aboard his Pramac Yamaha in the Indonesian Grand Prix, of his chances to be the Aprilia MotoGP test rider in 2026.
“For sure, it would be something to see with BMW first. [...] The priority for sure would be to race, of course, but in terms of how things could actually be done in terms of calendar, and because I would also understand Aprilia want to take full advantage of having me testing their bike and now just jumping on the bike sometimes, in free time.
“So, it’s not easy to come up with the schedule that fits everyone.”
It was put to Oliveira that, if BMW would be willing for one of its factory World Superbike riders to be a test rider for a different manufacturer in MotoGP, this would indicate the Bavarian marque’s lack of interest in entering MotoGP itself.
“Why not?” Oliveira responded.
“That’s not for me to answer, but I think their intentions in motorsport are pretty clear.
“I think MotoGP is such a big budget effort that they need to go ask the marketing department, and I don’t know if they are really into that mode at the moment.”
Rivola: “He would need to ask BMW”
Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola admitted some interest in having Oliveira on-board as test rider in 2026, especially because of Aprilia’s experience in 2025 with Lorenzo Savadori who has had to race often this year to replace Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura, but shared the same opinion as Oliveira regarding BMW.
“This year, Sava [Lorenzo Savadori] did some tests but he was racing,” Rivola said on Sunday in Indonesia.
“So, maybe if there is a chance – if you want to ask me about Miguel Oliveira – there is a chance, let’s see, we will take the chance.”
Rivola added: “Since he signed for BMW, he would need to ask BMW first. From our side… we’ll see.
Alex joined the Crash.net team in August of 2024 having covered consumer and racing motorcycle news at Visordown for two years.
Joining Crash.net in 2021 as an Editor for the Indonesian Edition, Derry oversees most of the Indonesian articles on the site.
