Ai Ogura made an immediate impact in his MotoGP Sprint debut at the Thai Grand Prix, finishing just outside the podium after an impressive fifth place in qualifying. The Trackhouse rider quickly caught attention with a bold move at Turn 1, overtaking both Jack Miller and Franco Morbidelli around the outside.
Ogura found himself directly behind Francesco Bagnaia, the two-time MotoGP champion, and decided to study and mimic the Italian’s riding style. He admitted that he didn’t expect the riders to be as smooth as they were and used the opportunity to learn from Bagnaia. Riding behind him for 13 laps gave Ogura valuable insight into the racing techniques of a top rider.
Despite being in the hot and turbulent air of Bagnaia’s Ducati, Ogura stayed within one second of the factory rider until the chequered flag. While many struggled in Thailand’s extreme heat, he felt fresh and ready for more laps, crediting his Moto2 experience in similar conditions for helping him adapt quickly.
Ogura finished as the top Aprilia rider and nine places ahead of the next-best rookie, Fermin Aldeguer from Gresini Ducati. However, he remains focused on his personal progress rather than race results. He emphasized that his main goal is to give his maximum effort, regardless of where he finishes.
With such an impressive debut, Ogura has already shown his potential in MotoGP. Fans will be eager to see how he performs in Sunday’s main race.
