Miguel Oliveira is among the unluckiest MotoGP riders over the last 12 months, and he just can’t seem to catch a break.
The Portuguese star fractured his wrist at Mandalika in September 2024, ending his season early. He returned to action earlier this year, but crashed in the Gran Premio de Argentina Sprint, forcing him off the bike for two months.
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Seven Crashes in 12 Months
Miguel has crashed seven times in sprint and GP races over the past 12 months, his latest coming last weekend as he returned from injury. While the fans expected the best of the Portuguese rider, his doctor, Gonzalo Morais Sarmento, stated that we will only see Miguel at 100% in the Italian or Netherlands Grand Prix.
The Prima Pramac rider was adamant to prove his doctor wrong, and went out hard in the early stages of the French Grand Prix. He was comfortably inside the top 10 at the business end of the race, before a sharp turn sent the five-time winner careening into the asphalt eight laps from home.
Oliveira escaped that tumble without major injury and managed to see the bright side, calling the weekend a success because he made it back onto his bike.
MotoGP British GP
The next step is completing a race, and “Falcao” will set his sights on crossing the line at the Tissot Grand Prix of the United Kingdom at Silverstone Circuit this weekend.
Miguel returns to a familiar track where he earned his best result in the last 24 months, back in 2023. He held on for fourth place in the Sunday Grand Prix behind Aleix Espargaró, Francesco Bagnaia, and Brad Binder. However, his visit to the Isles in 2024 ended early after he slid into his teammate Raul Fernandez on the first lap.
While his big-picture goals of competing for a championship will need to wait until 2026, the Portuguese racer would love to bring some sparkle back to a career that looked so promising a few years back.
Moto 2 and Moto 3 Success
Top-3 runs in the Moto 2 Championship in 2017 and 2018, including three wins in each season, increased the hype around the Portuguese rider. He then won a pair of races and finished ninth overall in MotoGP in 2020. Miguel enjoyed further success in 2022, when he logged two more victories.
His MotoGP record reads five wins and seven podiums in seven years on the circuit. The man from Almada knows how to win, he just needs to rediscover his confidence.
Final Thoughts
Miguel Oliveira has only broken into the top 10 once since the 2024 United Kingdom GP, ending in 10th at the Emilia-Romagna GP last year.
Despite the recent issues, Oliveira is still in his racing prime and capable of getting back on track, literally and figuratively. Hopefully, the road ahead is brighter for the Prima Pramac team member than it has been over the last 12 months.
Marco Bezzecchi was suspended from Sunday’s Czech Grand Prix after MotoGP stewards ruled that his conduct during Saturday’s sprint in Brno breached championship regulations and was prejudicial to the interests of the sport. The penalty ended his weekend before the main race.
The incident came after Bezzecchi crashed at Turn 3 while running fifth with fewer than two laps left in the sprint. Marshals were recovering his Aprilia from the gravel when, according to stewards, one marshal may have accidentally twisted the throttle and revved the bike. Stewards said Bezzecchi pushed marshals who were trying to move the motorcycle, and video showed him pushing and slapping a marshal. MotoGP held a stewards hearing on Saturday night and upheld the suspension, while Aprilia said it retained the right to appeal.
Bezzecchi entered Sunday leading Aprilia teammate Jorge Martin by 15 points, after the sprint added five points for Martin. Martin was also set to serve two long-lap penalties from the Balaton Park incident. Bezzecchi said he could not explain why he has been more competitive in Sunday races than in sprint races, noting four wins in eight Sunday races this season but only two sprint podiums and four sprint DNFs.
Casey Stoner has strongly criticized MotoGP’s planned move away from Phillip Island, saying he is “extremely disappointed” that the series will shift to Adelaide and that he will fight to bring the Australian Grand Prix back to the Victorian circuit. In a YouTube interview with Chris Vermeulen, he called Phillip Island “the world’s greatest motorcycle track” and said he did not agree with replacing it with a street circuit.
Stoner said Phillip Island produces some of the best racing in MotoGP, while also warning that street circuits bring greater safety risks because of walls and limited runoff. He added that Phillip Island itself needs pit upgrades and said modern aerodynamics and electronics mean riders no longer experience the track in the same way, since the bikes react differently in the wind. Even so, he said it remains one of the best and most enjoyable tracks on the calendar.
His attachment to the circuit is also tied to personal memories. Stoner said his favorite moment there was his 2011 MotoGP win, which clinched the championship on his birthday, and he also highlighted the 2012 race after his return from an ankle injury as especially meaningful. He described Phillip Island as the most beautiful track in the world, with its lack of grip, dirty asphalt and unpredictable conditions making it difficult but rewarding to ride. Reports differed on the final Phillip Island MotoGP date, with some saying the last race will be in 2026 and others listing Oct. 23-25, 2027, before Adelaide’s first MotoGP event on Nov. 12-14, 2027.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, the 29-year-old three-time WorldSBK champion, began his MotoGP transition under a two-year Yamaha factory deal with Pramac and is scheduled to make his race debut on March 1 in Thailand. Yamaha has mobilized support to speed his learning, enlisting test rider Andrea Dovizioso and other resources at Sepang to smooth the switch from WorldSBK machinery and Pirelli rubber to MotoGP-spec bikes and Michelin tires. Team messages and Razgatlioglu’s own comments framed 2026 as a development year focused on setup work, track familiarization, and adapting his riding technique to the prototype environment.
During the Sepang shakedown, Razgatlioglu posted a 1:58.465 on Day 3 to finish 10th, ahead of teammate Jack Miller. The result came after he posted the slowest time on day one of testing, registering a gap of roughly 1.6–1.9 seconds to Marc Márquez and about 0.8–1.0 seconds to the fastest Yamaha ridden by Fabio Quartararo. He was within roughly half a second of Jack Miller and Alex Rins, establishing them as nearer-term benchmarks while the team focuses on data-gathering rather than outright lap times. Jack Miller publicly reacted to seeing Razgatlioglu on the Yamaha, noting visible differences in seating and aerodynamics tied to the Turkish rider’s height.
Technically, Razgatlioglu has been experimenting with a markedly different ergonomics package, including a lower seat, higher handlebars, and a rear tail that improved braking stability and rear control. The experiments gave Yamaha time to prepare an M1 set-up for his larger stature. His height (over six feet) limits the use of Yamaha’s seat aero without breaching MotoGP bike-height rules, a practical constraint that factors into fit and aero choices. On tires, he said Michelin rubber feels different to Pirelli. Braking is good, but acceleration requires a smoother approach, so his aggressive WorldSBK late-braking habits need modification to suit MotoGP-style corner entry and chassis behavior. The combined package of ergonomics, tire adaptation, and revised braking technique remains the immediate focus as he continues incremental adjustments ahead of the opening round.
Alex Marquez was handed a double long-lap penalty for Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi after causing a multi-rider crash on the opening lap of the sprint. FIM stewards said the Turn 3 incident was a first-lap, multiple-rider dangerous situation and said the double long-lap penalty was the appropriate punishment for Marquez’s first offense of the season. He kept fifth on the grid for Sunday’s race despite the penalty.
The crash unfolded as Marquez attacked Fabio Di Giannantonio for sixth place. Pedro Acosta had been forced wide by Enea Bastianini, and Marquez lost the front while trying to slow down. He clipped Acosta and then collected Di Giannantonio, sending all three riders down and ending the races of Acosta and Di Giannantonio in the sprint.
Marc Marquez won the sprint at Motegi, leading every lap and beating title rival Jorge Martin by 2.466 seconds. Martin and Enea Bastianini were later penalized for exceeding track limits, which promoted Diogo Moreira to second, his best MotoGP result. Marc Marquez’s win also cut Martin’s championship lead before Sunday’s grand prix.
Miguel Oliveira Fights To Get Back on Track
Miguel Oliveira is among the unluckiest MotoGP riders over the last 12 months, and he just can’t seem to catch a break.
The Portuguese star fractured his wrist at Mandalika in September 2024, ending his season early. He returned to action earlier this year, but crashed in the Gran Premio de Argentina Sprint, forcing him off the bike for two months.
Seven Crashes in 12 Months
Miguel has crashed seven times in sprint and GP races over the past 12 months, his latest coming last weekend as he returned from injury. While the fans expected the best of the Portuguese rider, his doctor, Gonzalo Morais Sarmento, stated that we will only see Miguel at 100% in the Italian or Netherlands Grand Prix.
The Prima Pramac rider was adamant to prove his doctor wrong, and went out hard in the early stages of the French Grand Prix. He was comfortably inside the top 10 at the business end of the race, before a sharp turn sent the five-time winner careening into the asphalt eight laps from home.
Oliveira escaped that tumble without major injury and managed to see the bright side, calling the weekend a success because he made it back onto his bike.
MotoGP British GP
The next step is completing a race, and “Falcao” will set his sights on crossing the line at the Tissot Grand Prix of the United Kingdom at Silverstone Circuit this weekend.
Miguel returns to a familiar track where he earned his best result in the last 24 months, back in 2023. He held on for fourth place in the Sunday Grand Prix behind Aleix Espargaró, Francesco Bagnaia, and Brad Binder. However, his visit to the Isles in 2024 ended early after he slid into his teammate Raul Fernandez on the first lap.
While his big-picture goals of competing for a championship will need to wait until 2026, the Portuguese racer would love to bring some sparkle back to a career that looked so promising a few years back.
Moto 2 and Moto 3 Success
Top-3 runs in the Moto 2 Championship in 2017 and 2018, including three wins in each season, increased the hype around the Portuguese rider. He then won a pair of races and finished ninth overall in MotoGP in 2020. Miguel enjoyed further success in 2022, when he logged two more victories.
His MotoGP record reads five wins and seven podiums in seven years on the circuit. The man from Almada knows how to win, he just needs to rediscover his confidence.
Final Thoughts
Miguel Oliveira has only broken into the top 10 once since the 2024 United Kingdom GP, ending in 10th at the Emilia-Romagna GP last year.
Despite the recent issues, Oliveira is still in his racing prime and capable of getting back on track, literally and figuratively. Hopefully, the road ahead is brighter for the Prima Pramac team member than it has been over the last 12 months.
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Bezzecchi Suspended From Czech GP After Marshal Incident
Marco Bezzecchi was suspended from Sunday’s Czech Grand Prix after MotoGP stewards ruled that his conduct during Saturday’s sprint in Brno breached championship regulations and was prejudicial to the interests of the sport. The penalty ended his weekend before the main race.
The incident came after Bezzecchi crashed at Turn 3 while running fifth with fewer than two laps left in the sprint. Marshals were recovering his Aprilia from the gravel when, according to stewards, one marshal may have accidentally twisted the throttle and revved the bike. Stewards said Bezzecchi pushed marshals who were trying to move the motorcycle, and video showed him pushing and slapping a marshal. MotoGP held a stewards hearing on Saturday night and upheld the suspension, while Aprilia said it retained the right to appeal.
Bezzecchi entered Sunday leading Aprilia teammate Jorge Martin by 15 points, after the sprint added five points for Martin. Martin was also set to serve two long-lap penalties from the Balaton Park incident. Bezzecchi said he could not explain why he has been more competitive in Sunday races than in sprint races, noting four wins in eight Sunday races this season but only two sprint podiums and four sprint DNFs.
Casey Stoner says he is extremely disappointed MotoGP will leave Phillip Island
Casey Stoner has strongly criticized MotoGP’s planned move away from Phillip Island, saying he is “extremely disappointed” that the series will shift to Adelaide and that he will fight to bring the Australian Grand Prix back to the Victorian circuit. In a YouTube interview with Chris Vermeulen, he called Phillip Island “the world’s greatest motorcycle track” and said he did not agree with replacing it with a street circuit.
Stoner said Phillip Island produces some of the best racing in MotoGP, while also warning that street circuits bring greater safety risks because of walls and limited runoff. He added that Phillip Island itself needs pit upgrades and said modern aerodynamics and electronics mean riders no longer experience the track in the same way, since the bikes react differently in the wind. Even so, he said it remains one of the best and most enjoyable tracks on the calendar.
His attachment to the circuit is also tied to personal memories. Stoner said his favorite moment there was his 2011 MotoGP win, which clinched the championship on his birthday, and he also highlighted the 2012 race after his return from an ankle injury as especially meaningful. He described Phillip Island as the most beautiful track in the world, with its lack of grip, dirty asphalt and unpredictable conditions making it difficult but rewarding to ride. Reports differed on the final Phillip Island MotoGP date, with some saying the last race will be in 2026 and others listing Oct. 23-25, 2027, before Adelaide’s first MotoGP event on Nov. 12-14, 2027.
Yamaha and Dovizioso Back Toprak Before Thailand Debut
Toprak Razgatlioglu, the 29-year-old three-time WorldSBK champion, began his MotoGP transition under a two-year Yamaha factory deal with Pramac and is scheduled to make his race debut on March 1 in Thailand. Yamaha has mobilized support to speed his learning, enlisting test rider Andrea Dovizioso and other resources at Sepang to smooth the switch from WorldSBK machinery and Pirelli rubber to MotoGP-spec bikes and Michelin tires. Team messages and Razgatlioglu’s own comments framed 2026 as a development year focused on setup work, track familiarization, and adapting his riding technique to the prototype environment.
During the Sepang shakedown, Razgatlioglu posted a 1:58.465 on Day 3 to finish 10th, ahead of teammate Jack Miller. The result came after he posted the slowest time on day one of testing, registering a gap of roughly 1.6–1.9 seconds to Marc Márquez and about 0.8–1.0 seconds to the fastest Yamaha ridden by Fabio Quartararo. He was within roughly half a second of Jack Miller and Alex Rins, establishing them as nearer-term benchmarks while the team focuses on data-gathering rather than outright lap times. Jack Miller publicly reacted to seeing Razgatlioglu on the Yamaha, noting visible differences in seating and aerodynamics tied to the Turkish rider’s height.
Technically, Razgatlioglu has been experimenting with a markedly different ergonomics package, including a lower seat, higher handlebars, and a rear tail that improved braking stability and rear control. The experiments gave Yamaha time to prepare an M1 set-up for his larger stature. His height (over six feet) limits the use of Yamaha’s seat aero without breaching MotoGP bike-height rules, a practical constraint that factors into fit and aero choices. On tires, he said Michelin rubber feels different to Pirelli. Braking is good, but acceleration requires a smoother approach, so his aggressive WorldSBK late-braking habits need modification to suit MotoGP-style corner entry and chassis behavior. The combined package of ergonomics, tire adaptation, and revised braking technique remains the immediate focus as he continues incremental adjustments ahead of the opening round.
Stewards Hand Marquez Double Long-Lap Penalty
Alex Marquez was handed a double long-lap penalty for Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi after causing a multi-rider crash on the opening lap of the sprint. FIM stewards said the Turn 3 incident was a first-lap, multiple-rider dangerous situation and said the double long-lap penalty was the appropriate punishment for Marquez’s first offense of the season. He kept fifth on the grid for Sunday’s race despite the penalty.
The crash unfolded as Marquez attacked Fabio Di Giannantonio for sixth place. Pedro Acosta had been forced wide by Enea Bastianini, and Marquez lost the front while trying to slow down. He clipped Acosta and then collected Di Giannantonio, sending all three riders down and ending the races of Acosta and Di Giannantonio in the sprint.
Marc Marquez won the sprint at Motegi, leading every lap and beating title rival Jorge Martin by 2.466 seconds. Martin and Enea Bastianini were later penalized for exceeding track limits, which promoted Diogo Moreira to second, his best MotoGP result. Marc Marquez’s win also cut Martin’s championship lead before Sunday’s grand prix.