MotoGP Sepang Test: Oliveira ‘far from potential’ after strange day

Miguel Oliveira’s arrival at RNF Aprilia seems to be suiting the Portuguese rider as he sat second on the second day of MotoGP testing at Sepang.

Concluding Saturday’s somewhat stunted action just 0.103s shy of Ducati’s Jorge Martin at the top of the day two times, Oliveira was pleased with his progress but promised more was to come from both him and the RS-GP.

With overnight rain and returning mid-afternoon showers impacting the running, the five-time premier class race winner secured a 1’58.839 on his 21st of 52 laps on Saturday.

“Today was a strange day,” Oliveira commented from Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit. “I think the times were good but they don’t really show a lot if you know what I mean. It was a day that was strange for most of the riders because in the different garages there are a lot of different testing plans. My one is quite simple.

“Of course I didn’t have time to try a lot of things that we planned to have but we worked a little bit on the ergonomic of the bike, on my position on top of the bike and we could improve quite a bit on that area so I’m happy that we at least finished the day with this good feeling.

“Tomorrow we want to continue the progression. For sure the lap time, it’s a bit far from the potential of the bike and what I can do.

“I guess it’s getting closer to that limit. Hopefully, we get the chance to have some more track time in dry conditions tomorrow.”