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BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team Principal Shaun Muir announced that a final decision has not yet been made regarding the 2027 season contracts for Danilo Petrucci and Miguel Oliveira. Due to the injuries both riders suffered this season, the decision was made not to activate the option clause to ensure appropriate time is provided for both parties. BMW stated that the final decision will be made after testing at Donington and Magny-Cours.
The Difficult Transition of the Season
At the start of the season, the BMW team had added a 2027 option clause to the 1+1 year contracts with Danilo Petrucci and Miguel Oliveira. However, when asked why this clause had not been used, he emphasized that the condition of the riders' injuries prevented it. Muir stated that both riders felt they needed more time, and therefore they acted according to the current circumstances rather than a decision that would normally have been made in June.
Shaun Muir stated the following regarding the matter:
“The injuries of both riders prevented us. Normally, we would put in a clause that we would review the season around June to see if it was appropriate for both parties. Due to the injuries, we chose to grant a little more time to both riders, and as a result, we were able to test at Donington. We will test at Estoril and Magny-Cours afterward. I hope that after that, both parties will be able to sit down and make this decision much more easily. Given how long the riders have been away from the track, we already knew that the option would largely remain inactive.”
The Riders' Struggle with Injury
The 2026 season did not go according to BMW's expectations for Petrucci and Oliveira. Miguel Oliveira made a strong start to the season with three podiums in his home race weekend, but he finished the weekend early after suffering a serious accident in the Tissot Superpole Race. Due to injuries such as a concussion and a fractured collarbone, the Portuguese rider missed the next two race weekends.
The situation was more challenging on the garage's other side. Italian rider Danilo Petrucci started the season with an unusual slowness and failed to make the podium. Petrucci also had to miss the last two race weekends after breaking his collarbone in the Most race. Both riders are now on track, and every passing day brings them closer to 100% form. This situation puts great pressure on the team.
Options and Future Plans
Miguel Oliveira's situation was handled differently. When BMW included Oliveira, who has won five [MotoGP] races, both sportingly and financially it caused a major stir. However, the Portuguese rider still has the right to evaluate his options as a free agent. Oliveira confirmed that he is meeting with other WorldSBK teams. Muir, speaking to reporters on Thursday, approached the topic cautiously and did not pour cold water on the 2027 rumors.
Regarding the question of Oliveira being considered for other seats, Muir stressed that the rider must evaluate his own preferences:
“This is this rider’s choice. He needs to evaluate his options. We believe we have a great package in front of us. This is the first year of a multi-year agreement for riders who can continue to be a part of this journey. We know what happened when we did this with #54. We trust what we have. We were challenged by losing two or three race weekends between them, but I hope that in the upcoming weekends, before going to Magny-Cours, the issue will be resolved. I believe that when we reach that point, everyone will know the result of the rider and selection process for the next two or three years.”
(Note: The number "#54" mentioned in Muir's statement refers to Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, our representative who has won two consecutive World Championships with BMW in the 2024 and 2025 seasons and transitioned to MotoGP in 2026.)
BMW's future plans will continue at the Estoril and Magny-Cours circuits following the Donington tests. Team officials are awaiting clarification on the 2027 decision before heading to Magny-Cours. Both riders will be on track during the WorldSBK British leg at Donington.
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