Miguel Oliveira reveals biggest difference between Aprilia and KTM
Categories: MotoGP
On Day 2 of the MotoGP Sepang test, Miguel Oliveira shows his 2023 potential and reveals the biggest difference between Aprilia and KTM.
As Miguel Oliveira already showed the last season, difficult weather conditions don’t bother the rain specialist too much.
On Day 2 of the MotoGP Sepang test, the Aprilia newcomer rode his new machinery in the rain for the first time and immediately came back with positive feedback.
“The Aprilia is very nice to ride in the wet, I immediately felt comfortable and was fast,” he explains during the debrief.
However, despite the five-time Grand Prix winner’s affinity for wet conditions, Oliveira is bothered by the poor weather this weekend.
Understandably, he would have liked more time to test new modifications to the Aprilia. The rain had “ruined” that.
However, even before bad weather hit the track, Oliveira set top times – something he can certainly be satisfied with.
With a lap time of 1’58.839, the Portuguese was the second-fastest man on track.
At the end of the day, he was only +0.101 sec behind session leader Jorge Martin – even though the Aprilia rider did not have time for a time attack run.
“We didn’t have a real opportunity for a time attack, so I couldn’t use my true potential.”
Although the lap times during testing have little meaning anyway, a second place was of course still “better than coming last”.
The biggest difference between Aprilia and KTM
Oliveira is visibly more satisfied with the bike than on Friday. The Aprilia RNF crew used the second day mainly for ergonomic adjustments.
“We adjusted the ergonomics of the bike a bit to improve my riding position. This gave me a better feeling straight away.”
According to Oliveira, the Aprilia responds very well to changes anyway – a trait that the 28-year-old still has to get used to.
“The bike is technically very demanding, that’s the biggest difference with the KTM. As soon as we make a change to the settings, I feel it immediately. I still have to get used to that.”
The sensitivity of the Aprilia in particular is a challenge for the Portuguese: “The Aprilia reacts very sensitively to how the rider acts on it.”
“If I shift my body weight a bit forward, the bike responds immediately. I, therefore, have to work very precisely and ride cleanly.”
