KTM only got two top 5 results in 2021 thanks to Brad Binder in Portugal and Danilo Petrucci of Tech 3 at the flag-to-flag GP of France last weekend, while Oliveira has yet to crack the top 10.
This is in stark contrast to the KTM form at the beginning of last season, when Binder won the third race in Brno, while Oliveira was victorious at the GP Styria two races later.
As such and as one of only two manufacturers able to develop their engines before the 2021 season, much was expected of the Austrian brand’s factory line-up.
Most of KTM’s problems center on the allocation of Michelin’s front tires in 2021, with both Binder and Oliveira repeatedly expressing their aversion to the options available.
Despite his poor form so far, Oliveira disagreed when asked if KTM had hit a wall with its RC16.
“I have to disagree, I don’t think we hit a wall,” he said after falling at the French GP last week.
“Maybe we had a bit of a struggle in Qatar and that was our reality, but since then I think we’ve taken small steps towards a good place and at the moment the end results don’t really reflect our real position and that’s really frustrating about not “When you finish a race, in these conditions, you cannot show what you can do.
“That’s what counts at the end of the day and for Mugello our goal is to finish the race.
“In my approach there is nothing I could do differently, in the approach of the team they do everything they can.
“So there is no pressure environment that makes me not finish the races.”
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Team-mate Binder admits that he “expected a lot more from himself” in 2021, but is convinced that KTM will soon be able to reverse their misfortune.
“To be honest, I expected a lot more from myself at the beginning of the season,” he said after finishing 13th at Le Mans.
“It was super tough and I think there was, I don’t know, three of the races were borderline disasters.
“So there aren’t a lot of points in this situation, so it’s difficult at the moment.
“But I don’t think it’s not something I can’t change and I think we’ll get to places where we’ll be a lot better and of course there will be some places that are a little more challenging – like here for example.
“I couldn’t really feel at home and find my speed. It was a really frustrating weekend for me, I just never had the feeling that I could break through in a session and be quick, where I usually always find a way when I have problems. “