Ai Ogura finished fourth in the Malaysian MotoGP Grand Prix at Sepang, but the Japanese Trackhouse Aprilia rider left the circuit with mixed feelings. Despite finishing both races of the weekend and showing that his team can challenge near the front, Ogura acknowledged he could have achieved a better result. He pinpointed race management as the crucial factor where he fell short compared to his rivals.
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Ogura: “It all comes down to management”
Reflecting on his performance, Ogura stated, “I don’t think it was a particularly good race. The riders who finished ahead of me managed the race better, so I feel I could have done it in a better way. That was my maximum today.”
The 79 highlighted a pivotal moment when he was running fifth and believed he should have maintained his position against the chasing pack. “When I was fifth, if I had managed to stay ahead of the group, the race could have been different. They were managing the race better than me and overtook. It all comes down to management,” he said.
Ogura stressed that race craft, including tyre management and tactical decisions on when to defend or attack, mattered more than pure speed in determining the final outcome.
Contact with Marco Bezzecchi
The weekend also featured a notable on-track incident involving Ogura and Marco Bezzecchi. The two came into contact during the race, an event Ogura described as surprising but not dramatic. “Yes, that moment surprised me. But in the end, we both stayed on the bike,” he explained to journalist Manuel Pecino.
Ogura further confirmed he noticed no mechanical issues or changes in the handling of his Aprilia after the contact, and said the feedback from the bike stayed consistent. You can read more in our report on how Ogura clashed with Bezzecchi at Sepang.
A tough track for Trackhouse Aprilia
Ogura put the result in context by noting Sepang’s reputation as a challenging circuit for Trackhouse Aprilia. “This was more or less the result I expected here. It’s one of the toughest tracks for us, but this time we were closer to the front runners,” he remarked.
Although finishing both races is a positive takeaway, Ogura admitted frustration when comparing himself to the podium finishers. “Finishing both races is a good result, but when you see riders on the podium, you don’t feel good. It doesn’t leave you satisfied, although I’m happy with the race,” he said candidly.
Ogura’s self-critique centres on his inability to hold his position during critical phases of the race. His speed was sufficient to stay near the front, but race management proved decisive. He will treat the experience as a learning opportunity as he aims to convert closer finishes into podiums in upcoming MotoGP rounds.
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