Miguel Oliveira put to the test in Superbike: real testing at Phillip Island, pace improving on the BMW

Miguel Oliveira takes stock after the first day of Superbike testing at Phillip Island.

Best rookie in the first session of testing, second rookie a tenth behind former Moto2 rider Dixon in the second session, the quickest of the day. Miguel Oliveira wraps up the opening day with a best lap of 1:30.563, +1.218 off leader Nicolò Bulega. After earlier bad weather, the first real Superbike tests finally got underway at Phillip Island, the last ones before the start of the 2026 World Championship already scheduled for next weekend! The adaptation process to the BMW M 1000 RR has only just begun for the new ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team rider, discovering a whole new world after an entire career in MotoGP. The comparison with his garage mate is interesting: Danilo Petrucci, also a new BMW signing, finished behind in both sessions, ending up 14th and just under a tenth off the Portuguese rider.

"Today we did two long sessions to try to get to know the bike better and start the pre-season in a more appropriate way." A comment delivered with a smile: as mentioned, the Superbike grid has had no luck with the weather, neither at Jerez nor at Portimão. We can therefore say that these at Phillip Island are the first truly useful tests for a 2026 season that kicks off very soon. Miguel Oliveira is a Superbike rookie and has very little time to lay the groundwork for his first season in this new championship. "It was a useful day to get back in the saddle and rediscover the feeling I had in November, when I tried the bike for the first time," Oliveira continued to worldsbk.com at the end of this first day of testing.

What did he focus on? "Above all on adapting my riding style, with a few setup changes to make me more comfortable. That’s what we can do in a day." He ended up 11th, +1.2 from the untouchable Bulega. Did he expect that? "I don’t know what to expect without testing," Oliveira admitted. "I need more experience and more laps, but we’re making progress and we understand what’s going on. We’re trying to be as ready as possible for the race weekend." For the second day, the plan is primarily to continue the adaptation process, but not only that. "We’re looking for a bit more speed," he added. "No major changes, just small adjustments."