Ai Ogura is making his MotoGP debut this year, with the Trackhouse team. Thus, it will be a season in which he will need to discover a different reality and the most demanding category.
The Japanese acknowledged that the tyres are a key: ‘The first thing I have to do is to understand the tyres. It doesn’t matter the category where you are, the tyres is the only thing connecting the bike to the ground’.
That said, Ogura noted that he had little time on a MotoGP bike, having a learning process ahead of him: ‘I had just one day on a MotoGP bike with Michelin tyres, so there’s still a lot to understand. But I have eight testing days in total before the first race. So, I just want to learn as much as I can’.
As for the physical preparation, the debutant said he hasn’t made any changes so far: ‘The longest sting I had in the Barcelona test was around 10 to 12 laps, and I was fine, it wasn’t a problem. But I know that Malaysia and Thailand it’s a completely different story because you have to deal with the heat. But at the moment I don’t have problems on the bike. I didn’t make any changes to my winter training, and I spent 90% of the training on a bike this winter. Let’s see how it goes, but if I need, I will do it. But at the moment nothing changes from Moto3 and Moto2 times’.
The rider also said: ‘After the Malaysia test, if I feel it’s really necessary to work on the physical side, I will do it. But this winter I didn’t change the training menu for myself, because I don’t really feel it’s so hard on a physical side based on the Barcelona test. But in Malaysia and Thailand with the heat it’s a completely different story. We will see’.