Oliveira: KTM will always have a special place in my heart

Oliveira has been a KTM rider since joining the premier-class in 2019, initially at Tech3, where he made history for the French team with wins in Austria and Portimao the following season.

Such success saw Oliveira promoted to the factory Red Bull team for 2021, where he has added two more victories.

However, in Oliveira’s own words, his and KTM’s results have been far too ‘spiky’.

Only two other podium finishes and eleven non-scores since joining the official team means Oliveira was left 14th in last year’s world championship and is currently eleventh in the present standings, five places behind team-mate Brad Binder.

With Binder already signed until the end of 2024, Miller’s arrival could only be at the expense of Oliveira, whom KTM hoped would consider a return to Tech3.

But the 27-year-old soon ruled out that prospect and instead looks set to start a new chapter in his MotoGP career with another manufacturer.

“It’s still to be completely decided. I’ve not signed with any manufacturer yet. But I believe my future will still of course be here on the MotoGP grid,” Oliveira told MotoGP.com.

But his subsequent words made clear he isn't likely to be in orange.

“I feel very grateful to have been with KTM for many years, I wish Jack the best of luck and I think that KTM will always have a special place in my heart,” Oliveira said.

“I truly want the best for the project and even though, if our ways will split at the end of the season, I still want to do the best I can for the team and myself and leave KTM with hopefully a few more podiums or wins.”

'KTM made every effort to keep me; in Tech3'

On turning down the Tech3 option, Oliveira added: “I also need to make clear that KTM made absolutely every effort they could to keep me; in Tech3. But it’s something that I expressed I didn’t want.

“It’s the factory spot where I felt I could have the biggest contribution to the team. It’s also a spot I’ve earned by results and by showing that actually I can do the job.”

“I really wanted to be involved in this project for a few more years and take the bike to another level, because there is so much potential that was not reached yet.

“But being out like this, it means that new opportunities open for me and it was personally quite nice to sit down with other manufacturers and really listen to their perspective, because I’ve never heard their opinion about me. It was quite nice.”

Heading the rumoured list of Oliveira’s 2023 options is a move to Gresini Ducati, with Enea Bastianini among those in contention for Miller’s vacant factory Ducati ride.

The rumours were fuelled further when Oliveira and his father, who is also his manager, were seen meeting with the Gresini team in Catalunya.

“Yeah, I was lost,” he joked earlier on Thursday, when asked about being spotted.

“But I mean people are not forbidden to talk and this is normal and of course we always try to do it in maximum secrecy, but sometimes it's just not possible.”

After riding Suter Honda and then Mahindra machinery to podium success in Moto3, Oliveira in 2015, taking six wins and finishing second in the world championship (to Danny Kent).

Aside from a debut Moto2 season at Leopard in 2016, Oliveira has been a KTM rider ever since.

Rookies Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez currently compete for Tech3, but neither currently has a deal in place for 2023 and KTM’s Tech3 proposal to Oliveira, although turned down, indicates that at least one of them is set to leave.

Fernandez has been among the names linked with RNF Aprilia, having held discussions with Razlan Razali’s team (currently with Yamaha) last season before KTM took up its option on the young Spaniard.