Ai Ogura faced unexpected difficulties in the opening moments of the 2026 MotoGP Thai Grand Prix at Buriram, struggling significantly compared to expectations. Despite ultimately finishing fifth and matching his best career result from 2025, Ogura expressed surprise and frustration over his poor performance in the early part of the race, highlighting ongoing challenges at the start.
Early Race Challenges and Struggles to Advance
The Trackhouse rider showed signs of promise during Saturday’s Sprint by climbing to fourth place, but during Sunday’s main race, Ogura dropped from eighth to eleventh on the very first lap. Attempting to advance through the field, he encountered difficulties making progress for much of the race.
Ogura explained,
“There is some issue that stops me in the first part of the race, but it’s nothing from the bike,”
pointing towards his race approach rather than mechanical problems. He added,
“The problem was how I approached the corners, especially when more bikes were in front of me.”
Reflecting on his opening performance, he stated,
“So another experience, but I was surprised how s**t I was in the first part of the race! Not happy.”
Technical Factors Affecting Early Pace
One of the main contributing factors was the way the front tyre pressure increased while Ogura was running closely behind other riders, forcing him into “dirty air” that compromised grip and handling. Because of this, it took until lap 16 of 26 before Ogura was able to gain any positions, effectively diminishing the benefit of his stronger pace later on.
Strong Finish but Missed Opportunities
Ogura was notable for being the fastest rider during the final laps, closing quickly to within mere tenths of Jorge Martin, a factory Aprilia competitor. Despite this late surge, he could only finish fifth, trailing behind the other three Aprilia riders who completed the race ahead of him.
He admitted,
“I knew I was going to be fast at the end of the race. That was my strong point, but I couldn’t use it.”
Ogura also reflected on race tactics, saying,
“The time when the bike is okay to push, maybe I didn’t. And when the bike says it’s quite limited, that’s when I push. I should understand more…”
Contrasting Emotions Compared to Last Year
While Ogura’s finishing position matched his debut performance in 2025, when he was the top Aprilia rider and finished fourth and fifth at Buriram, his emotions were vastly different this time. He described his feeling as “zero happiness,” underscoring his frustration with the race dynamics and personal performance.
In contrast, his teammate Raul Fernandez qualified on the front row and secured third place in both the Sprint and the grand prix, highlighting some consistency within the Trackhouse team. The race victory went to Marco Bezzecchi.
Implications for Ai Ogura and MotoGP Season Ahead
Ogura’s struggles in the early stages of this race raise questions about his approach and adaptability when dealing with close racing and tyre management. Despite his strong pace towards the end, his initial laps continue to hinder overall results. As the season progresses, Ogura and his team will likely focus on optimizing his race starts and cornering strategies under pressure to convert his speed into better finishes and regain confidence in highly competitive conditions.
