I didn’t touch him! – Aldeguer Angrily Fires Back After Controversial Penalty Against Miguel Oliveira

The 2025 Czech Republic MotoGP at Brno became a lightning rod for controversy after Fermin Aldeguer was hit with a three-second post-race penalty for what officials deemed an “unfair manoeuvre” on Miguel Oliveira—a move that wasn’t even caught by the live broadcast cameras.

While the MotoGP world was watching the battle up front, a significant moment took place on lap 6, deep in the midfield. Aldeguer, racing for SpeedUp, made a bold pass on Oliveira for 13th place, a move that sent the Pramac Yamaha rider tumbling down to 18th. Although Aldeguer surged ahead and eventually crossed the line in 8th, the stewards decided his overtake violated racing conduct, slapping him with a three-second penalty—costing him three positions.

The final classification had Aldeguer demoted to 11th, elevating Brad Binder, Pol Espargaro, and Jack Miller one place each.

The Stewards’ Verdict: “Unfair Manoeuvre”

The FIM MotoGP Stewards Panel offered a brief yet scathing summary of the incident:

“An unfair manoeuvre against another rider that didn’t result in a crash but caused an adverse effect (loss of multiple positions).”

While the incident didn’t involve contact or a crash, the loss of positions was considered significant enough to warrant a penalty equivalent to a long lap—applied post-race as a time penalty.

Oliveira Furious: “He Pushed Me Off!”

Miguel Oliveira didn’t hold back when giving his version of events:

“I was already in Turn 7 with my knee down when Fermin came in where there was absolutely no space and pushed me off, causing me to lose four or five positions. That basically ruined my race.”

Although Oliveira acknowledged he was already struggling with mysterious tyre issues, he maintained that Aldeguer’s move was a pivotal blow:

“Even before that, something strange happened with the tyres. I couldn’t get anywhere near the pace I had in warm-up. I did a 1’53 in the warm-up, and in the race, I couldn’t go below 1’55. Really strange. There’s definitely something to analyse there.”

Still, the Portuguese rider accepted the stewards’ ruling:

“As for Fermin, there’s nothing more to say — he got his penalty after the race, so that’s fine.”

Aldeguer Hits Back: “I Didn’t Touch Him”

In sharp contrast, Fermin Aldeguer remains adamant that the move was fair and clean, labeling the penalty unjust:

“I didn’t feel that the overtake was on the limit. I didn’t touch him. Maybe I went a little bit wide, but it’s a race.”

What seemed to aggravate Aldeguer even more was the lack of real-time communication:

“Now I will go to Race Direction because nobody said anything to me. I just saw on the screen: ‘long lap for irresponsible riding’, and then ‘+3 seconds’. If they had told me earlier, I would have done it in the race.”

Midfield Mayhem: A Costly Clash That Changed Nothing Up Front

While the penalty didn’t influence the podium, it sparked fresh debate about officiating consistency and how unseen incidents are handled during races. The clash between Aldeguer and Oliveira was one of several midfield scuffles, but this one had real consequences—not just for positions, but for reputations.

The situation also highlights the grey area between “aggressive” and “irresponsible” riding. Without direct video coverage of the move, fans and pundits are left to rely on rider testimonies and the stewards’ brief explanations.

Jack Miller Gains, Oliveira Frustrated

Jack Miller, Oliveira’s teammate, indirectly benefited from the incident, gaining a place due to Aldeguer’s demotion. However, his camp was notably quiet, likely aware that Oliveira’s day had already been compromised well before the penalty reshuffled the standings.

What Happens Next: Will Aldeguer Appeal?

Though no formal appeal has been launched yet, Aldeguer hinted that he may push the issue further with Race Direction, or at least seek clarification on the penalty process.

His frustration mirrors a broader sentiment shared by many riders this season — that penalties are sometimes handed out inconsistently or too late to adapt strategy during the race.

Fan Reactions: Divided Opinions

Online, fans were split down the middle. Some backed Oliveira, arguing that forcing a rider off track is clearly unsportsmanlike, while others sympathized with Aldeguer, believing racing should allow hard but fair overtakes.

One fan wrote:

“If there was no contact and it was just tight racing, then why ruin a good result with a post-race penalty?”

Another countered:

“If you make someone lose 5 positions, even without touching them, that’s still aggressive riding. Rules are rules.”

Final Standings Shake-Up

With Aldeguer’s penalty, the adjusted results in the midfield are as follows:

8th – Brad Binder
9th – Pol Espargaro
10th – Jack Miller
11th – Fermin Aldeguer

The Bigger Picture: Aggression vs. Accountability

This incident raises a perennial MotoGP debate: Where is the line between “racing hard” and “racing dirty”? In a sport built on millisecond margins and elbow-to-elbow battles, stewards are increasingly being asked to make judgment calls that carry major consequences.

For Fermin Aldeguer, the Czech GP was supposed to be another solid point-scoring weekend — instead, it became a frustrating lesson in how even unseen actions can trigger very visible fallout.

And for Miguel Oliveira, the race ended with more questions than answers — not just about the incident, but about the strange tyre performance that derailed his pace from the start.

One Thing’s Clear: The Rivalry Might Not Be Over

As MotoGP heads into the next round, all eyes will be on whether tensions carry over. Will Oliveira and Aldeguer cross paths again? If so, expect the cameras to be rolling this time.

Because in MotoGP, what happens off-camera often ends up stealing the show.