Miguel Oliveira urges “patience” ahead of debut WorldSBK season

Ahead of his maiden WorldSBK season, Miguel Oliveira has admitted it will take “just a bit of time and patience” for him to get up to speed in his new environment.

Having raced in the grand prix paddock since 2012, Oliveira’s move to World Superbike this year is arguably the most substantial of his career: changing bike, team, tyres, and paddock.

It’s a big change for the five-time MotoGP race winner, but one he’s enthusiastic about ahead of the first race on 18–20 February in Australia.

“I’m very excited,” Miguel Oliveira told WorldSBK.com.

“It’s definitely a big change, but I’m quite motivated to start this new chapter in my career.

“Changing a bike is already for itself a big change, but also changing paddock and meeting new people is also another challenge. 

“But I really believe I will be surrounded with the best, and the team will help me for sure getting [up] to speed quite early.”

Oliveira had his first chance to test the M1000 RR in a test at Jerez in November. He said he will need time to adapt to the bike and to the way of riding in World Superbike, and on Pirelli tyres.

“As a big change, you need to adapt technicalities, for sure, in your riding style – riding position is, for sure, also different – and so that’s the approach you take to the lines you do on the racetrack, how you approach braking, throttle, tyres – everything is very different,” he said.

“But I believe it takes just a bit of time and patience to get up to speed and to start to think about being competitive.”

The Portuguese rider would not say anything definitive when asked about his goals for 2026.

“We should go a little bit race-by-race,” he said. 

“For sure, coming into a team that has been World Champion for the past two seasons puts the stakes quite high. 

“I need to be able to put myself up to speed and up to a competitive level where I can meet their expectations. So, that’s the target.”

Oliveira, together with his new teammate Danilo Petrucci, was back on-track this week on 6 January in Portimao for aboard an M1000 RR road bike. Testing will continue in Jerez on 21–22 January, when the Spanish track hosts the first official test of the year.