Oliveira on the next generation of MotoGP riders: “I don’t see anyone who can challenge Marc”

From 2011 to 2025, Miguel Oliveira competed in the Motorcycle World Championship. Across all classes, the Portuguese rider secured 17 Grand Prix victories, five of which were in MotoGP. In 2015, Oliveira finished as runner-up in the Moto3 World Championship, and in 2018 he achieved the same in the Moto2 World Championship. In 2026, he moved to the Superbike World Championship, where he is under contract with BMW.

Oliveira can look back on some fine achievements and great moments. He has also competed against many highly talented riders during his career so far – most notably Marc Márquez (Ducati). “In terms of riding ability, he’s the greatest of all time,” said Oliveira in an interview with SPEEDWEEK.com, offering words of praise for his former rival.

Despite physical problems, Márquez is once again putting in impressive performances in 2026. The strong Aprilia riders Jorge Martín, Marco Bezzecchi, Ai Ogura and Raúl Fernández, as well as VR46 ace Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ducati), are currently his biggest rivals in the championship.

Among the young up-and-coming talents, however, Miguel Oliveira sees no one who will be able to challenge MM93 for the title in the near future. “A new generation is coming through, but at the moment I don’t see anyone who can really challenge Marc,” Oliveira is convinced.

Pedro Acosta

Foto: Gold & Goose

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28.08.2026 - 08:55

Miguel Oliveira: “For me, Acosta is the strongest”

Of the riders who have recently moved up to MotoGP or are set to do so next year – such as Diogo Moreira, David Alonso or Daniel Holgado – Oliveira sees no threat. Instead, he rates another rider very highly, one he raced against in the premier class last year. “For me, Acosta is the strongest. He’s the only one where you can tell he’s different,” says Oliveira. “With the rest, they’re all the same. Diogo is a great rider too, but he’s no Acosta. But to be clear: every one of those lads is very talented.”

However, Oliveira has high hopes for one rider from the Moto3 World Championship: Maximo Quiles, who currently leads the overall standings by a clear margin. The 18-year-old Spaniard is being mentored by none other than Marc Marquez. “He’s the only young rider from Moto3. But it’s so difficult to judge that. Besides, it’s unfair to place so many expectations and so much pressure on a young rider,” emphasised the 31-year-old. “You can see it with Rueda. He dominated the Moto3 World Championship, then moved up to Moto2, where he’s now struggling. Or Collin Veijer – he was a very fast Moto3 rider, but he didn’t dominate. Then he switched to the Moto2 bike… another example: Izan Guevara – he was fantastic in Moto3. It took him two or three years in Moto2. Only now is he strong. But it’s not black and white.”

Maximo Quiles

Foto: Gold & Goose