Relief at BMW: turnaround continues, confidence for the finale

The 2026 Superbike World Championship has proved challenging for BMW for a number of reasons – two new riders who have also had to contend with injuries, and a rival in Ducati that has developed an outstanding new bike. The round at Magny-Cours was a low point, from which the Bavarian manufacturer gradually managed to pull itself back.

The verdict following the Estoril round: BMW is back in the fight for podium places, at least with Miguel Oliveira. The Portuguese rider shone at his home race with finishes of 4th, 4th and 8th. The 31-year-old missed out on a podium finish by 1.776 seconds in the first race, and by just 0.141 seconds in the Superpole race. A poor first lap prevented a similarly good finish in the second main race. The management is satisfied with the progress made.

“The weekend began with a special moment for Miguel and his family. The large number of fans and the tribute shown to him demonstrated just what a special brand ambassador he is for us,” emphasised Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport. “In sporting terms, his form is clearly on the up with two fourth-place finishes. Race two was a bit of a disappointment, although a fourth-place finish would have been possible there too. With his overtaking manoeuvres, he is also showing more confidence on the track. Miguel’s well-known strengths were evident once again, which makes us very optimistic about Jerez.”

Miguel Oliveira

Foto: BMW

Following the setback in France, BMW left no stone unturned and scrutinised every setting. Oliveira’s promising results were the reward for those efforts.

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“We were able to continue the turnaround that began in Cremona here,” said Technical Director Chris Gonschor with relief. “Miguel was very close to the top times in all sessions, secured a good starting position with a strong qualifying performance and confirmed the bike’s podium potential in the races. The technical changes since Magny-Cours, combined with Miguel’s mental strength, have delivered some great races. Miguel can now pick up exactly where he left off before his injury in Hungary. I’d like to extend a special thank you to my team in Munich, who, despite a challenging season, never gave up on continuing to improve the bike.”