Miguel Oliveira

Miguel Oliveira

Date of Birth: 04/01/1995 Nationality: Portuguese City of Residence: Almada, Portugal Height: 169 cm Weight: 59 Kg. Years as Repsol rider: 1

Honours

First Grand Prix: 2011 Qatar (125cc.)

First Podium: 2012 Catalunya (Moto3)

Firts Win: –

Total Grand Prix: 28 (11 in 125cc. and 17 in Moto3)

Fatest Laps: –

Poles: –

Podiums: 2 (2 en Moto3)

Wins: –

Sporting career

Biography

One of the top young talents on two wheels, Miguel Oliveira actually began his racing journey as a quad and kart enthusiast. At just three years of age, Miguel rode his first quad bike and continued to indulge this passion for five years, at which time he began to compete in kart competitions. One year later, the Portuguese rider found his vocation when he rode a motorbike for the first time. That same year he competed in the Portuguese MiniGP Championship, in which he finished fourth. His performances were noted by the Portuguese Sports Confederation, who awarded him a prize for Young Motorcycle talent for 2004.

Two years of competing in MiniGP brought him plenty of trophies. Two Portuguese MiniGP Championships, two runner-up prizes in the Trofeo RACE Madrid series and victory in the Metrakit World Festival were his most notable honours at that time, but they were to be only the beginning for Oliveira.

In 2007 he picked up another title –that of champion of the Trofeo Mediterráneo Pre-125. 2008 brought him further success in that competition and also wins at various rounds of the KTM Red Bull Rookies Cup. Oliveira attracted mainstream attention when he placed third in the CEV Spanish Championship’s 125GP class in 2009, going one better the following year after an intense battle with future teammate Maverick Viñales. Along the way he also claimed the runner-up spot in the European Championship.

Last year saw a World Championship debut for the Portuguese talent, who placed tenth at his maiden race in Qatar. He took part in eleven races and claimed six top ten positions –the best of which was a seventh place at his home round in Estoril. He ended the season as part of the Monlau Competición team with Repsol support, dedicating his attention to developing the 4-stroke 250cc bike that would be used by the outfit in the 2012 Moto3 World Championship. He gave the machine a run-out in two CEV 125GP/Moto3 races, claiming the first win for a Moto3 bike in Spain.

Alongside Álex Rins, Oliveira will compete as a Repsol rider for Monlau Competición in the Moto3 World Championship. His aim will be to gain further experience on the world stage and to take some strong results in 2012.