Honda rider Alex Marquez reports that Miguel Oliveira’s KTM was smoking just before the crash – Shortly after Marquez’s crash, Oliveira also retires
KTM factory rider Miguel Oliveira and LCR Honda rider Alex Marquez were two of the six riders eliminated from the MotoGP season opener in Qatar. Marquez retired on the tenth lap. Oliveira was hit one lap later. Marquez’s statements suggest there was a correlation in the crashes.
“Miguel Oliveira’s bike was smoking for one and a half laps,” Marquez reported, musing, “I don’t know if that was the reason for my crash. But I noticed the smoke and a strange smell. I don’t know if it was oil or if the tyre was grinding on the fairing. The lap after, he crashed in the same corner. It was a bit strange.”
Oliveira is not convinced by the theory that a defect caused the two crashes. For his own crash, he blames a riding error. “I went a bit too fast into the first corner and couldn’t decelerate the bike,” explained the Portuguese.
Oliveira classifies Marquez’s oil theory as unlikely. “We can’t confirm that. There was nothing wrong with the bike. We didn’t detect any oil residues or other fluids,” commented the KTM factory rider.
Brad Binder’s performance makes Miguel Oliveira confident
With the retirement at the season opener, the new MotoGP season started the way the last one ended. But Oliveira also recognises positive aspects. Above all, the Portuguese is encouraged by the good result of team-mate Brad Binder, who finished the race in second place.
“It was a short race, it was only ten laps long. I felt comfortable on the bike and everything was going well until I crashed,” Oliveira described. “I’d rather be competitive and crash than finish twelfth or ninth. “
Better qualifying should make the races easier
“Of course I would have liked a top 10 result. Brad demonstrated the potential of the bike and confirmed that we are here to get good results. The others have to count on us. In Mandalika, we try to use it to our advantage. We know what to do. I know what I have to do,” Oliveira is combative.
In Qatar, the KTM factory rider’s starting position was made more difficult above all by his exit in Q1. Starting from 14th on the grid, Oliveira had a lot of work to do. “We need better qualifying and to get faster on a lap so we can start the races from further up the grid,” said the MotoGP race winner.
“That’s what we will focus on from Mandalika onwards,” he explained. “The crash was also a bit due to that because we had to make up positions,” Oliveira is convinced.