Ai Ogura impresses with top-five finish in MotoGP debut at Thai GP

MotoGP rookie Ai Ogura shines in Thailand, learning tyre management from Francesco Bagnaia and securing a historic top-five result.

Ai Ogura of Japan and Trackhouse MotoGP Team speaks with journalists during a media scrum in the media center after the MotoGP Thailand Grand Prix at Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand, on March 2, 2025. Photo by Mirco Lazzari/Getty Images

By Randy Ahmad and Yuni Utomo

Ai Ogura made an immediate impact in his MotoGP debut at the Thai Grand Prix, securing a top-five finish and demonstrating his potential in the premier class. The reigning Moto2 champion qualified fifth aboard his Trackhouse Aprilia and delivered impressive fourth- and fifth-place finishes in the sprint and main race, respectively.

Ogura’s performance in the grand prix was particularly notable, as he crossed the line just 7.5 seconds behind race winner Marc Marquez and finished a significant seven seconds ahead of factory Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi. His fifth-place finish marked the best debut result for a rookie since Marquez finished on the podium at the 2013 Qatar Grand Prix.

Learning from Bagnaia to manage tyres

Ogura attributed part of his strong race performance to lessons learned during Saturday’s sprint race, where he closely followed reigning MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia. By studying Bagnaia’s tyre management strategy, Ogura was able to sustain his pace over the full 26-lap distance in the intense Buriram heat.

“First of all, this kind of hot condition is an advantage for me because I think it’s tougher for other riders, and I don’t feel it as much,” Ogura explained. “The hardest thing for me was managing the tyres, but yesterday in the sprint, I learned a lot from Pecco. I applied that knowledge in the main race, and my pace was quite good until the end.”

Managing tyre degradation over race distance

When asked about tyre wear throughout the grand prix, Ogura noted that the degradation was as expected but presented challenges in the closing laps.

“The tyres dropped like I expected, but the last six or seven laps were difficult to manage,” he said. “But I anticipated that before the race, so it wasn’t a bad surprise. It was manageable.”

Despite the challenges, Ogura remained consistent, maintaining a strong pace while avoiding mistakes that could have cost him a top-five finish.

Praise from the paddock for Ogura’s performance

Ogura’s impressive showing in both the sprint and main race earned widespread praise from fellow riders and team members in the paddock. However, he remained level-headed about his performance, acknowledging the differences between the shorter sprint race and the full-length grand prix.

“After the sprint, I had a conversation with my crew. We reminded ourselves that it was just a sprint, only 13 laps, and the main race would be more complicated,” Ogura said. “But even over the full race distance, we were still competitive, so I’m happy.”

Experience in Asian conditions a key factor

Ogura believes his ability to handle the intense heat in Thailand gave him an edge over his rivals. The Japanese rider has extensive experience racing in high-temperature conditions from his time in the Asia Talent Cup, and he credits that background for helping him adapt quickly in his MotoGP debut.

“I did a lot of races in Asia when I competed in the Asia Talent Cup, and that could be one of the reasons I managed the heat better,” he explained.

With a top-five finish in his first grand prix, Ogura has set a high benchmark for himself as he continues his rookie season in MotoGP. If his debut performance is any indication, he could be a serious contender in the races to come.