Revealed: BMW is set to secure Miguel Oliveira (31) for several years

BMW has a contract with both riders, Miguel Oliveira and Danilo Petrucci, for the 2026 Superbike World Championship; until the end of June, there was also an option for next year. Exercising that option would have meant continuing under the previously agreed terms. If this does not happen – as has now been the case – new negotiations will be required.

The circumstances could not be more different: whilst the German manufacturer wishes to work with Oliveira on a long-term basis, everything points to a parting of ways with Petrucci after this season – the Italian is struggling with the M1000RR.

The preferred candidates to succeed Petrucci are long-serving MotoGP rider Brad Binder and Moto2 World Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez. However, both will only become available if they fail to secure a MotoGP seat for 2027, a decision which has not yet been made. If neither of them is an option, Jack Miller would be next on BMW’s list.

At Donington Park, both Oliveira and BMW were cautious in their public statements regarding their future plans. “It’s fair for both sides that we have more time to see what works and what doesn’t,” said Oliveira. “I hope to achieve more in the upcoming races and am waiting to see what opportunities arise in the near future. My limited experience with this team tells me that we have a lot of untapped potential. That’s what it’s all about. If I were to create a situation with a different solution for next season, I would always ask myself what it is we haven’t achieved here together. We haven’t yet brought this project full circle. I hope we can do so in the coming races. I believe there is scope for us to work together.”

The reality is that the factory teams at Bimota and Kawasaki are full for 2027; whilst there are theoretical possibilities at Yamaha, Honda and Ducati, Oliveira isn’t at the top of their wish lists. BMW, on the other hand, is very keen to continue with its current star rider, even though things didn’t go well at all last weekend in England. SPEEDWEEK.com has discovered that negotiations for the next three years (!) are at an advanced stage and that the contract is expected to be signed in the coming days. Such long-term contracts are usually structured as 2+1 deals.