It is within the framework of the Sunday Ride Classic which was held this weekend on the Paul Ricard circuit that Miguel Oliveira was invited by its equipment supplier Shark to participate in a series of questions and answers hosted by the famous Jacques Hutteau.
The two men know each other well since the Frenchman worked for a long time in the paddock for the ELF tanker which supplied fuel (and still supplies, after a brief interlude) to the KTMs of which the Portuguese is still one of the two official drivers for a few months.
But before this more than pleasant meeting, Miguel Oliveira had to arrive at the circuit and was involuntarily kept waiting, his plane having been delayed, while the crowd waiting for him lined up under a blazing sun for a series of signings formed a queue all the way to the metal stands...
Upon his arrival, the young father devoted a handful of minutes to the team of Bader Benlekehal on the roof of Nolan's truck for an upcoming broadcast on the show Highside, then finally joined the crowd waiting for him in front of the Shark truck.
There, it must be said, the representative of Mattighofen was able to motivate a large audience, yet overcome by the torrid Provençal heat which reigned that day. Jacques Hutteau, wriggling like a roach, had worked on his subject and, even with a voice that was beginning to falter, launched into a “not so brief” summary of the 27-year-old pilot's career.
The latter, in a French that is much more correct than the English produced by the majority of our compatriots, humorously provided some clarifications throughout the answers, while ending up himself holding the numerous sheets prepared by the one we nicknamed “ Jackie H » on Eurosport.
The journey started at the age of 3 through mimicry with his father, an amateur endurance driver, led to a first intellectual victory. “when I managed to touch my knee to the ground”.
The Grand Prix at Estoril in 2005, at which Miguel Oliveira attends as a spectator with his father, sees the trio
Barros–Rossi–Biaggi mark the spirit of the young boy who then tries to obtain autographs and decides to try to follow their path.
Arriving in the World Cup in 2011 with the Andalusia team, he moved to Estrella Galicia alongsideAlex Rins the next year. 2013 and 2014 saw him on the Mahindra, a not very efficient motorcycle, which does not prevent him from retaining good memories of this period: “ Two very happy years. Good
years”, rewarded with a first podium.
He joined the Ajo team in 2015 and won the first victory for a Portuguese driver in the world championship, at Mugello, before obtaining 5 other successes to finish vice-champion, just 6 points from the world title. Switch to Moto2 the following year then first pole in 2016 in Argentina offered to KTM: “ Oh? Also ? (laughs) »
3 victories in 2017, then 8 in 2018 allowed him to arrive in MotoGP the following year, at “the Tech3 family”, as he calls it himself. First victory in Austria in the last corner, which will be followed by another at home at the end of the year. 2021 sees him win in Barcelona, just like in Indonesia this year.
“You forgot one very important thing: since 2012 I have been at Shark and it is also like a family to me. It is therefore with great pleasure that I am with you this Sunday to do signings! »
The next Grand Prix will take place at the Sachsenring, a track that the “Falcão (falcon)” does not like. not much, but we have to go so we'll go go ".
Finally, the question that the public was asking for was asked several times, but the man we believe to have signed with Gresini remained calm and with a sense of humor that was more British than Lusitanian...
« Yes, I will be on the MotoGP grid, with Shark and Ixon (laughs general)” replied the MotoGP rider after a moment of hesitation before launching into an autograph session for more than an hour.
Honestly, everyone had a great time and we even had the pleasure of seeing Miguel Oliveira like we had never seen him in the Grand Prix paddock: relaxed, smiling, laughing, and full of humor, even in French.
We therefore thank Shark Helmets for this successful animation and deplore that the recent injury suffered to the right wrist by Alex Rins prevented him from coming to the Sunday Ride Classic on behalf of Nolan, whose 50th anniversary is this year.
