On this Saturday August 14, 2021, Miguel Oliveira answered questions from journalists from the Red Bull Ring circuit, at the end of the second day of the Austrian Grand Prix.
We went to listen (via teleconferencing software) to the words of the Portuguese driver, who experienced a slight increase in performance this Saturday compared to last week, without however returning to the same level as last year on the Red Bull Ring.
As usual, we report here the words of Miguel Oliveira without the slightest formatting.
Are you happy with your result or did you expect better?
" We We made good progress between the morning and the afternoon. I felt faster. It's a tough time, we're suffering a bit, and even though we fought our way from Q1 to Q2, it was a tough qualifying session. I had the feeling that I couldn't get the most out of the tires, but securing a place on the third row is already something better than last weekend, so we're not going to be choosy. We can't wait for tomorrow's race. »
How does the new hard tire behave compared to the one from last weekend?
"This new hard tire is good. This is a solution that suits our motorcycle better. This means that if temperatures are high we will be able to better manage front movements, and stop the bike with more pressure on the brakes. »
How do you view things regarding your wrist in preparation for running?
" In As for my hand, things have gotten worse compared to yesterday. I had to take some painkillers this afternoon, and after that it was better, so it's not 100% resolved yet. But I hope everything will be back to normal by Silverstone. »
“I had to take painkillers for my hand”
Are your difficulties precisely linked to your hand pain?
" No, It has nothing to do with my hand, but we are on a track where we spend a lot of time braking and a lot of time accelerating. Unfortunately, on a technical level there are no ideal trajectories, unlike circuits like Mugello or Assen where this is of great importance if you want to do a good lap. »
" Here, It's all about your pure ability to set up the bike properly and brake and accelerate effectively. For the moment we are stalling a little because we do not have enough time to take sufficient advantage of the new tire made available to us, and the extra grip that goes with it. Tomorrow's race is going to be difficult, it's going to be very demanding for us, but we're looking forward to it. »
“Here, it’s all about your ability to set up the bike properly”
Last year, Pol Espargaró took pole position here, and you won a race. The track has not changed in the meantime... How do you explain this jump in performance compared to last year?
“The year Last time we had probably one of the lowest temperatures here, and that is one of the explanatory factors. We were also on the pace even though many riders did not yet have the ride height device. Even though we have it, we still need to improve it. What you say is true, but the fact is that if we go faster than last year, the others go even faster, and that is why we are no longer able to play the leading roles. »
Ranking of qualifications of Austrian MotoGP Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring:
Credit ranking: MotoGP.com
