How impressive was Ai Ogura on his MotoGP debut in Thailand?

Marc Marquez might have received the Thailand Grand Prix after a measured trip from pole, however Ai Ogura’s efficiency on the Trackhouse Aprilia was simply as spectacular.

On his first race look in MotoGP, the younger Japanese rider completed an unimaginable fifth, scoring one of the best outcome for a debutant since Marquez’s podium on the 2013 Qatar Grand Prix. Even Pedro Acosta, the highest-rated rider to step as much as the premier class lately, solely managed ninth in his maiden outing 12 months in the past.

What was notably spectacular about Ogura’s debut weekend is that it wasn’t one particular person outcome that put him within the limelight. As an alternative, it was a well-rounded efficiency from the 24-year-old, who shone in each session over three days at Buriram.

First, he put collectively an unimaginable lap in qualifying to position his Aprilia RS-GP fifth on the grid, simply 0.35s off pole. Then, within the dash race, he overtook Pramac’s Jack Miller initially earlier than claiming an unimaginable fourth in his first ever race outing.

On Sunday, he once more received the soar on Miller to run fourth early on, however didn’t have the tempo to maintain Franco Morbidelli’s Ducati behind and settled into fifth. Even then, his quickest lap – a 1m30.942s – was simply three tenths off Marquez’s finest time on the manufacturing facility Ducati.

Furthermore, his tempo didn’t drop beneath the 1m31s bracket till lap 21 of 26. For reference, Morbidelli started lapping in 1m32s from lap 22, and the Italian was driving final 12 months’s championship-winning GP24.

So, the importance of Ogura’s outcome was not misplaced on anybody. On his debut, he was the highest non-Ducati rider on the timesheets, and simply 7.45s behind race winner Marquez. Ogura’s personal stablemate Marco Bezzecchi completed 15s down in sixth, displaying simply how fast the Japanese was in opposition to riders on the identical bike. The truth is, Bezzecchi needed to take care of the Honda of Johann Zarco within the closing levels, whereas Ogura by no means dropped too far behind the Ducati of Morbidelli.

Ogura was fairly right down to earth following his debut heroics, stating that he was stunned by his personal performances at Buriram. He defined that he discovered just a few methods by driving instantly behind Francesco Bagnaia within the dash race and utilized these classes within the grand prix on Sunday.

“It is a huge, huge shock,” he mentioned of his dash outcome. “I used to be attempting to simply copy what he was doing. To trip behind Pecco for 13 laps is basically high quality to me. [I learned] to be clean. 

“These sorts of sizzling circumstances, it is a bonus [for me]. For different riders it’s extra robust and I do not really feel it a lot so it is a good level.”

He added: “The toughest factor for me was to handle the tyre. However within the dash I discovered lots from Pecco. I simply did like Saturday in the principle race and my tempo was fairly okay in the long run.”

Whereas Ogura might say he was stunned by his efficiency, pre-season testing confirmed that he was already gelling nicely with the Aprilia. On the ultimate day of the operating, he unleashed his true one-lap tempo, setting the seventh-quickest time. His future tempo wasn’t shabby both.

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Workforce

Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Pictures

Bezzecchi was nonetheless anticipated to be the barometer for Aprilia’s efficiency within the early a part of the season, after he carried out extremely nicely himself in testing, however Ogura managed to outdo his extra skilled stablemate in Thailand.

“I knew he could possibly be actually quick,” mentioned Bezzecchi of Ogura. “In fact it is an amazing outcome at the moment to make fourth within the dash. So I’m stunned solely by the outcome, however he’s an excellent rider so we knew that he could possibly be very quick.”

Following the principle race, Bezzecchi added: “We trip [in] fairly [a] related [way]. He’s actually exact, actually good. I knew he was actually quick and actually good, as each Japanese particular person is basically methodical. 

“He’s working very well, so after all I noticed his information. I attempted to be higher than him and attempt to be taught from him. He does the identical with me but additionally Raul [Fernandez].”

Ogura’s outcome can be a large confidence booster for Aprilia. On a observe that hasn’t traditionally suited the RS-GP, Ogura proved that the Noale-based model has a robust probability of changing into the second-best producer in MotoGP this 12 months.

It additionally implies that when reigning champion Jorge Martin returns to racing after his injury woes in pre-season, he can have a fast bike beneath him.

Jorge Martin, Aprilia Racing Workforce

Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Pictures

Maybe the one rider inside Aprilia who could be alarmed by Ogura’s tempo is his Trackhouse team-mate Fernandez, who wouldn’t like being crushed by a rookie when he himself is in his third season within the premier class.

The outcome will definitely give the Spaniard the push he must take his performances up a notch and repay the religion instilled by his bosses, who handed him a brand new two-year contract in the course of final season.

For now, although, each Aprilia and Trackhouse have gotten a winner on their arms. And Ogura can even relaxation safely within the information that he made the appropriate determination to forego a much less aggressive seat at LCR Honda within the hope of higher prospects elsewhere.

Ogura will need to have had a number of confidence in his talents to distance himself from a producer that he knew so nicely – one that may have readily handed him a MotoGP berth attributable to his nationality.

However as a substitute, he selected to show his abilities on observe and win the Moto2 title with MT Helmets – MSI. And now he has proven that he nicely and actually belongs in MotoGP.