MotoGP News: Miguel Oliveira Blames Bike Malfunction for Devastating Injury That Ruined His Season

Alex Harrington | Dec 15, 2024

Apr 14, 2024; Austin, TX, USA; Miguel Oliveira (88) of Portugal and Trackhouse Racing rides in warmups before the start of the MotoGP Grand Prix of The Americas at Circuit of The Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

At the Indonesian Grand Prix, MotoGP rider Miguel Oliveira attributed a severe accident to a malfunction in his bike, which effectively derailed his 2024 season. The mishap unfolded at the Mandalika International Circuit, known for its stringent sequence of turns, particularly at Turn 3-4 where Oliveira's accident took place during the FP1 practice session.

Just two years prior, Oliveira had achieved a win at this very track, making the incident an unexpected blow not only to his season but also to the reputation he had previously established at Mandalika.

It's now been revealed that Oliveira’s bike, the Aprilia RS-GP, experienced a short circuit within its control unit, leading to a complete loss of control and resulting in a highside crash. The Portuguese rider, reflecting on the incident, said the following via Autosport:

"The crash was due to bad luck: there was a short circuit in the bike's control unit." This failure stripped away the essential control systems, putting Oliveira in a perilous situation.

“This made me lose all control systems and I fell on the handlebars," he explained. The crash was severe enough to fracture his right wrist, forcing him to undergo immediate surgery in Lisbon. “When you have a crash like that, injuries are always a matter of luck," Oliveira admitted.

The severity of the injury was compounded by the dense scheduling of the season, forcing Oliveira to miss not only the Indonesian GP but also the succeeding races in Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Australia. He described the sequence of missed races due to the tight schedule as a huge hurdle.

"The recovery was on schedule, about six weeks," Oliveira said. “The problem is that I missed five races in a row." The rapid pace of the race calendar meant that even a relatively short recovery felt like an extended absence. “It seemed like a longer period, but in reality it was short. The fact is that I had to watch five races from home,” Oliveira reflected.

Upon his return to the track, Oliveira managed to secure a 12th place finish in Barcelona. Looking ahead, he is ready to join the Yamaha-supported Pramac team in 2025, sitting alongside seasoned racer Jack Miller. This will be a significant career shift following two challenging seasons with Aprilia. Oliveira’s tenure with Aprilia’s satellite team, RNF Racing, proved to be a difficult period, as he couldn't secure any podium finishes and ended the season 15th in the championship standings.

Despite these struggles, Oliveira maintains a positive outlook on his experiences with the team.

“These were two years in which I struggled a lot, both technically and physically," he acknowledged. Yet, he views these challenges as an opportunity for growth. “They were two difficult years in my MotoGP career, but I think this, in the end, will make me a stronger and more complete rider.

"I was able to adapt to a very different environment from what I was used to and I also made some steps forward in my riding style, so I think it's something positive for my future.”