It’s been a rollercoaster start to the 2025 season for Oriol Oliver. After he was forced to leave the BTS KTM team which left him without a ride, the talented Spaniard was exploring heading Stateside—until a late opportunity arose with the Gabriel SS24 KTM team. He’s since grabbed it with both hands, delivering a standout ride at Arco and now winning a moto at his British Championship debut at Canada Heights.
We caught up with Oliver fresh off a chaotic but ultimately successful weekend, which saw him race in the Spanish Championship on Saturday to contest the qualifying race before jetting into the UK for round two of the British series. From battling through crashes and brake issues in moto one to winning moto two with authority, Oliver opens up about the ups and downs of his weekend, working with Shaun Simpson, and his ambitions for the rest of his final season in MX2.
GateDrop: Oriol, what a weekend, you were racing in Spain yesterday, you got your five points for qualifying, quickly over to the UK to make your British Championship debut. Just talk me through your weekend…
Oliver: Yeah, I started good the weekend in the Spanish National. I took the five points, like you said with the qualifying win and that was the plan. I wanted to come here and do another perfect day, but that first moto, I was p*ssed after that, because I took a decent start, not the best, because Tommy was better on the start, and then he crossed. But from the back, you know, I was feeling like I was in the European championship with all the riders crossing. I had some bad luck behind me with some riders trying to pass, and just crashes, two times in the same corner. The second one was a really fun one, with Nicholls. After that there was a read flag and I also had no rear brake after that crash, because the disc of the front brake was broke, so I had no brake, so it was a disaster of a first moto. But I came back strong in the second one and won with a good gap. I am happy with that one to take the win, and to finish good.
GateDrop: What was your thoughts on the track? I don’t think you’ve ever been here before, it obviously didn’t take you too long to learn the track, because in qualifying you were fastest, and then, I mean, the second moto was easy-peasy when you got a good start, you made it look easy…
Oliver: I seen some videos before coming here, but then I saw that the track was different, so I had to get used to it. It was actually really good, the ground was like, similar to the GP’s and rough, some bumps, maybe not that much compared to a GP, like you said. It was a really good training for the GP’s.
GateDrop: In the first moto, was it two crashes or three? I thought it was three, but Shaun told me it was two.
Oliver: It was two crashes, with another rider in the same corner, it was almost the same crash.
GateDrop: What happened with Jake? There was a bit of punching and stuff going on?!
Oliver: I get it because he did a mistake, but I hit him on his back and I went over his bike. He was thinking I blocked him, but no, it was just that he made a mistake, and I had no way to go, so he apologized later, so all good.
GateDrop: Welcome to the British Championship, Oriol!
Oliver: Thank you (laughs).
GateDrop: To go back to the start of the season, you obviously started with BTS KTM, which is a good team, but then financial issues hit, and you were left with pretty much nothing, so how did this opportunity come around with Gabriel SS24?
Oliver: I already had nothing last year, at the end of the year after being with WZ KTM. I had nothing but I could find BTS, I was really lucky to find that, but then I was unlucky. It was all going really good, maybe we could improve with some things that we were working on but they were really good people. It was a small crew, but they were working hard but one main sponsor just didn’t pay what they agreed to pay. After that I was trying to maybe go to America because I had nothing, so I was trying. In the end, Max, unfortunately for him, he got injured, and all the things came together, and the team called me. Diego Clemont and also my team manager from KTM Spain pushed a little bit to make it happen. Now I have this opportunity, and I’m really happy with the team. They’re working good, I love the bike, and I’m in a good spot now.
GateDrop: I think you had the option to do the first AMA National with Wildcat possibly, but I don’t think they could guarantee you to do the full championship, is that right?
Oliver: I did speak with some teams there, but at the end was nothing sure, so it almost happened, but at the end nothing. I am happy to stay here.
GateDrop: Initially this was only supposed to be for two GPs, so you were under a little bit of pressure to perform, but Arco moto two, one of the best rides in your MX2 career, I think finishing sixth, so you must have been happy with that, considering it was your debut with the team?
Oliver: Yeah, I think I did sixth in a moto already before, but for sure it was one of the best. I feel like we are making progress, even now, with the team. Today we made a change in the shock, so we are getting better and hopefully we can do better results soon, and continue like this.
GateDrop: You are working closely with Shaun Simpson, what’s it like working with him? Do you remember him as an MX2 GP rider? Do you remember? He was good, eh?
Oliver: He was the best in the mud, he was an aggressive rider, it’s really good to have him, really good. He is a calm guy, he knows what he does, and really nice people here.
GateDrop: Whenever Cas Valk was riding with the team last year, he got to spent a lot of time with Joel Smets is that an option for you? Are you working closely with Smets?
Oliver: Not yet.
GateDrop: Is that an option, maybe later in the year?
Oliver: It was not an option, I would like, but I guess he’s busy with Andrea, Jeffrey and Cas now, I think he’s busy, so it’s not an option.
GateDrop: For the rest of the season, what’s your goals in the MX2 GP’s? It’s your last year, so I’m sure a podium you would love to do, but it’s obviously not easy, MX2 is fast…
Oliver: It’s not easy, but that’s always the goal, and we are making progress, so we will continue like that, and we’ll see.
GateDrop: What’s your thoughts on the age rule? Because you’re under a bit of pressure with this age rule, you’ll either have to go up the MXGP, or you’ll have to stick to national racing next year…
Oliver: Yeah, I had to go to the MXGP already, it’s crazy, but it’s like this, to be honest so next year we will see. Now I find a team, so let’s focus on now, and we’ll see, we’ll see for the future.
GateDrop: Just the MX2, what’s the level like this year? It seems very, very high, and good starts are more important than ever…
Oliver: Every year the starts are more important, because more riders, more brands, and more riders that go fast. Every time it’s more important the start. It’s good, it’s good for the sport, a lot of riders are going fast, so it is a really competitive class.
GateDrop: Just on the rest of the season, obviously you’ve signed to stay with the team, but the last two rounds, are you going to do those fly aways and Turkey is also quite far, are you going to go to those rounds?
Oliver: It depends on the results. I think one round, it’s in the same weekend as a British Championship so it depends a little bit on that. Hopefully the next rounds here in the British I can gain good points, so we’ll see.
GateDrop: What was it like today, you never really got to battle with him, but to race Tommy Searle, you probably remember him in MX2, what’s it like racing against him at his home tracks?
Oliver: Yeah, it’s really good, Tommy Searle had a great career, it’s good to have these guys here. They have a lot of experience, so they are always there, you know, they don’t make mistakes, so I don’t need to make more mistakes.
