Ai Ogura expressed frustration with his performance after finishing fifth in the Thai Grand Prix on Sunday, feeling he could have achieved a stronger result. The Trackhouse Aprilia rider struggled early on at Buriram, where he started eighth but dropped to 11th after getting trapped in the pack during the opening laps of the race.
Ogura only began making significant progress after lap 16, climbing positions rapidly in the final part of the 26-lap event. Despite the late surge, he remained dissatisfied with how he managed the race, especially considering his solid pace and previous results on this circuit.
Early Difficulties and Self-Criticism
Known for his pace at Buriram and having finished fourth in Saturday’s sprint race, Ogura admitted that something hindered him at the race’s start. The 25-year-old rider from Saitama struggled with cornering when surrounded by other bikes, which disrupted his rhythm.
“There was some issue that stopped me in the first part of the race,”
said Ogura.
“I was surprised how shit I was in the first part of the race. I’m not happy. I knew that I was going to be fast at the end of the race. That was my strong point for the race, but I couldn’t use it.”
He also recognized errors in his strategy, noting that he pushed hard when his bike was limited and eased off when he could have applied more pressure.
“When the bike was OK to push, maybe I didn’t. And when the bike [was] quite limited, that’s where I pushed. I should understand more.”
— Ai Ogura, Trackhouse Racing
Mixed Feelings Despite Matching Last Year’s Result
While fifth place matched Ogura’s impressive debut in last year’s Thai GP, this time the achievement brought no satisfaction. He emphasized the contrast between the two experiences, highlighting his disappointment.
“The position is the same, but the feeling is completely different. Zero happiness,”
Ogura added.
Buriram was a career highlight during his rookie season, yet his form declined as the year progressed. With Aprilia’s factory and Trackhouse riders all healthy and working together, Ogura is hopeful that he can regain momentum and produce more consistent results going forward.
