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The first Portuguese in the premier category of the motorcycle world championship, he believes in Miguel Oliveira’s podium.
Felisberto Teixeira, the first Portuguese to participate in the premier class of the world speed motorcycle championship in 1998, believes that Miguel Oliveira could get on the podium at the MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix on Sunday.
Speaking to the Lusa agency, the former rider recalls how things “were much more difficult” when he competed at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in Spain in 1998 with a 500cc two-stroke Suzuki.
“Even the name of the championship has changed [atualmente chama-se Mundial de MotoGP]. Motorcycles are completely different concepts. They are four-stroke bicycles, at the time they were two-stroke. Now electronics controls everything ”, said Felisberto Teixeira, who sees it as“ the only similarity is that it is the top of world motorcycling ”.
Felisberto Teixeira was 28 years old when he was invited to participate in the 500cc Spanish Grand Prix, the premier category of the time.
Currently linked to cycling and the W52-FC Porto team, he began competing in the National Speed Championship in motorcycling.
“After winning the first championship, I was invited to tryouts by the national team. That is where my international career begins,” he recalls.
In 1999, he competed in the World Endurance Championship, with the Suzuki Shell team, which would eventually become world champion a year later.
“I left the team in the middle of the year, in 1999. And I was doing the Supersport World Championship, in Honda Galp”, he says, after having added “some podiums”, before being invited to participate in the 2000 Portuguese Grand Prix. , but in the intermediate category, at the height reserved for 250cc two-stroke motorcycles, in which he suffered mechanical problems.
After 20 years, Felisberto Teixeira assures that “nowadays motorcycles are easier to drive, largely due to electronics”.
“Today there is traction control, everything and everything,” he stresses.
On the 500cc bike he raced in Spain in 1998, he jokingly recalls that “it was fun to be guided”.
“They were very difficult. They commanded respect because they were so difficult. Hence, they became more interesting ”, he emphasizes.
The former rider considers that “today, perhaps, he is more physically demanding. There are difficulties at all times”, he points out, underlining that riding a 500cc motorcycle “was the realization of a dream”, in which “everything happens faster and more brutally. “
“The idea, initially, was to do the full championship. It was an opening door, always thinking about the following year. It was a team sponsored by Shell Australia. As a Shell driver, there were talks and they invited me. No there was follow-up because things should not have gone as expected. The team ended up disappearing, “he lamented.
As for the Portuguese Grand Prix, from the 14th and final race of the MotoGP World Championship, which will take place between Friday and Sunday, Felisberto Teixeira said that he believes Miguel Oliveira can fight for a place on the podium.
“Miguel is a rider who is guaranteed to be in the top five [do mundo]. The bike will not be bad anymore and I think it will improve even more. Let’s dream a little bit, but I would like to see Miguel fight for the victory. A podium was already good ”, he concluded.
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