Ai Ogura expresses deep disappointment. His fifth-place MotoGP debut finish became an outlier. He calls his Ai Ogura’s rookie season “nothing special.” He candidly shared his feelings about the challenging year.
According to Jadeh Makhsoos News Agency, the Trackhouse rider impressed many when he joined MotoGP at the year’s start in Buriram. He qualified his satellite Aprilia on the second row. He then finished fourth in the sprint and fifth in the grand prix. However, that weekend remained the peak of his rookie campaign as his form fluctuated. Teammate Raul Fernandez achieved a breakthrough victory at the Australian Grand Prix.
Ogura also sustained two major injuries during the year. These included a broken leg which required surgery. This forced him to miss several races, including his home grand prix at Motegi. He ultimately finished the season 16th in the championship with 89 points. He secured eight top-10 finishes.
When reporters asked him to summarize his year at the Valencia finale, Ogura stated, “There is nothing special to say about my first season in MotoGP.” He added, “I just raced here, experiencing many crashes and injuries.” Despite that tough year, he still finds many positives. He is truly happy to finish his rookie season and eagerly awaits the second one. He also commented that nothing surprised him, as he always anticipates the worst possible scenario.
Jadeh Makhsoos reports that fans held high expectations for Ogura. He graduated to MotoGP this year as the reigning Moto2 champion. His impressive start in Thailand offered the first real glimpse of his potential. However, he ultimately never achieved those same heights again during Ai Ogura’s rookie season. When asked if his Buriram result boosted confidence, Ogura replied it had the opposite effect.
Ogura admitted he battled self-doubt during his first year in MotoGP, but a stronger end to the campaign helped him regain confidence. This included a seventh-place finish in Portugal, a crucial positive momentum for Ai Ogura’s rookie season development. He reflected that at one point, he doubted his abilities, especially after injuries and during tough moments. However, he started riding well again and had “quite okay races” in the final two events. This made him optimistic about the future.