Ai Ogura enjoyed a breakout weekend at the Brno MotoGP, marking a major step forward in his rookie campaign with a first-ever pole position and a strong challenge at the front in both races.
The Trackhouse Aprilia rider impressed from the start, finishing second in Saturday’s sprint behind Pecco Bagnaia and going one better on Sunday by leading a MotoGP race lap for the first time in the premier class.
Despite his strong start, Ogura was overtaken early in the grand prix by Bagnaia and eventual winner Marc Marquez on lap two. However, he remained competitive throughout and later regained second place after a late-race push.
Ogura praised his progress over the weekend, highlighting qualifying as a key improvement area after previously struggling in that phase. He also noted that the early laps after the start remain a weakness he aims to address moving forward.
Source: Motorsport Week
His race pace, however, stood out once again. In the closing stages, Ogura closed in on Marquez and finished just 0.4 seconds behind the reigning champion after a strong late push.
Marquez acknowledged the pressure from the Japanese rider, saying he felt Ogura behind him throughout the race, but was able to maintain enough pace to secure victory.
After the race, Ogura admitted he briefly considered a win as he closed the gap but ultimately recognized Marquez’s consistent speed at the front.
The result marks Ogura’s strongest weekend in MotoGP so far and moves him up to fifth in the world championship standings, 46 points behind factory Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi.
Despite his progress, Ogura remained cautious about his championship prospects, saying he is not yet in the title fight and is focused on continued improvement as he gains experience at the top level.
