Here's What Forced Miguel Oliveira To Withdraw From The Dutch Grand Prix
Categories: MotoGP
After a strong start to the main race of the Dutch Grand Prix, Miguel Oliveira returned to the pits early. Here’s the reason behind it.
Miguel Oliveira got off to a dream start to the Dutch Grand Prix at Assen. Having started from 11th on the grid, it looked as if the Portuguese rider could be in contention for some big points on Sunday.
However, halfway through the race, the crowd saw Oliveira drop back after missing a turn under braking and park his Aprilia RS-GP in the pits at the end of lap 12.
“I had some problems with the brakes. The brake pads were pushed apart when the bike was shaking in the fast changes of direction and I had no pressure point.”
“It’s a little problem we’ve been having all weekend,” sighed the CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team Aprilia rider after his early race end.
The strong starting phase was little consolation for the 28-year-old. He had hoped for more from the Dutch Grand Prix.
“It doesn’t really mean anything. I was fast in qualifying too, working around these little problems. But I just couldn’t do more, that was the reality. In the long race, with a fuller tank, everything is more complicated.
The season leading up to the summer break could hardly have been more unfortunate for Oliveira. At the start of the season at Portimao, his home Grand Prix, Marc Marquez took him out, at Jerez the Portuguese rider injured his shoulder in an accident with Fabio Quartararo, and now the technical failure at Assen.
For Oliveira, the season will only really starts after the summer break at Silverstone. Until then, the Aprilia rider will continue to recover in order to be 100% fit for the second half of the season.
“I will use the time to recover. I will focus on the shoulder and the rest of the body to just be fit again.”
