Miguel Oliveira underwent surgery on Monday following a serious injury sustained during practice at Mandalika and is set to miss this weekend’s Japanese MotoGP as well as the Australian round.
The incident happened during the first free practice session for Indonesian MotoGP when the Trackhouse Racing rider suffered a heavy fall that resulted in multiple fractures to his right wrist.
After the crash, he was promptly evacuated to a local hospital where medical staff assessed his injuries and confirmed the need for surgical intervention.
On Monday, Miguel Oliveira underwent surgery in Lisbon where surgeons successfully implanted a plate to stabilize the fractured bone. The operation was performed by Dr. Gonçalo Morais Sarmento and his team at Sant’Ana Hospital in Parede.
Following the surgery, Oliveira released a statement emphasizing the importance of a careful recovery process. He noted that he would need to focus on rest during the first week post-surgery, after which he would evaluate his rehabilitation strategy to return to racing as soon as possible.
A statement from his website read: “Promptly assisted at the circuit’s medical centre, he was then evacuated to the local hospital to assess the severity of the injury.
“After diagnostic tests, the fracture was reduced and immobilised. The Almada rider was then able to travel to Lisbon and be accompanied by Dr. Gonçalo Morais Sarmento and his team at the Sant’Ana Hospital in Parede, where a plate was implanted to stabilise the bone.
“Miguel Oliveira will have a careful recovery ahead of him, focused on the success of the surgery, and the first week will be of absolute rest so that he can then evaluate and define the best and appropriate strategy to get back on the bike as soon as possible.
“At the moment, everything indicates that the rider will sit out the next two races, in Japan and Australia.”
The prognosis indicates that Oliveira will be sidelined for at least two races: the Japanese MotoGP and the Australian Grand Prix. The news comes as a significant blow not only to the Portuguese rider but also to his team, Trackhouse Racing, who have expressed their support for his recovery.
“On Monday, Miguel was admitted to the Sant’Ana Hospital in Parede, Lisbon, where Dr. Gonçalo Moarais Sarmento and his team performed a surgical procedure to implant a plate and stabilise the bone,” a statement from the team read.
“Miguel will now rest during the week while his recovery plan is assessed. As soon as a date for his return is confirmed, the team will provide a further update.”
Team manager Wilco Zeelenberg stated that they are committed to maintaining their logistics plan and will continue racing with Aprilia test rider Lorenzo Savadori during Oliveira’s absence.
Savadori has previously made appearances for Trackhouse under its former RNF ownership and is familiar with the team’s operations. His involvement is seen as crucial for maintaining momentum during this challenging period for the team.
Miguel Oliveira currently ranks 14th in the MotoGP Championship standings as he prepares to switch to Pramac Yamaha in 2025.
