BMW rider Miguel Oliveira on 2027: "Everyone wants a Ducati!"

Six weeks after his serious crash at the Balaton Park Circuit in Hungary, Miguel Oliveira is making his comeback at the Superbike event in Misano. The BMW rider does not want to focus on the results this weekend - it is first and foremost about building confidence and not crashing.

Oliveira finished Friday's practice session in 17th place, 1.4 seconds behind Nicolo Bulega (Ducati). Everything still felt a bit strange in the first free practice session in the morning. "The whole first session was strange, I felt like a robot. There were no fluid movements," smiled the Portuguese rider. "But I felt much worse than the lap times showed. Let's see how I wake up on Saturday, I'll definitely be a bit sore. I can only try to race as hard as I can - that's the only thing I can do."

Why didn't he have a good feeling? Because he was physically limited or because he was in pain? "The pain in my shoulder is the biggest problem. Every time the pain gets worse, my strength dwindles. The pain increases with every lap and the strength decreases at the same rate," explained Oliveira. "It is what it is. We have to make the best of it. I just have to get a massage after every session to be ready for 20 laps."

Despite the physical limitations, Oliveira knows in which areas he needs to improve with his BMW. "I was able to do good laps, the feedback was clear. I know what it takes to be faster. Saturday is about putting all the ideas together. If I can manage a lap under 1:32.5, it would be okay," said the 31-year-old.

Ducati has dominated the 2026 Superbike season so far, with the Panigale V4R being the best bike. BMW and the other manufacturers are doing everything they can to catch up. Oliveira was one of the few who was able to stand up to the Ducati riders in some races - he already achieved four podium finishes in his rookie season. Then came the crash in Hungary. What does he think it will take to close the gap to Ducati? "I know exactly what it takes to be faster on this bike. But our opponents have raised the level," he explained. "The Ducati is a very complete bike - regardless of who is riding it. Then there is the factory team. With their knowledge and experience, they can help the riders to take a step forward."

Does Oliveira know what will happen to him in 2027? "I only have a one-year contract. I was at home last month and I didn't have the chance to talk or finalise anything," said the former MotoGP rider. "It's a unique situation. There are a lot of riders from MotoGP who want to come into this paddock - and everyone wants a Ducati. I hope that I will have a clear direction regarding my future in the next few weeks."