Cal Crutchlow, who briefly replaced Johann Zarco at LCR Honda this season, has heaped praise on Ai Ogura. The British rider sees shades of Honda legend Dani Pedrosa in the Japanese rookie’s riding style and physique.
Ogura has been one of the biggest surprises of the 2026 MotoGP season. After an impressive run in the summer, he claimed his maiden win at the Dutch Grand Prix and briefly sat second in the championship, just behind factory Aprilia rider Jorge Martin. However, a costly crash at Silverstone and an injury that forced him to miss Aragon have weakened his title hopes.
Still, Crutchlow remains a big fan of Ogura’s progress. He admitted that, before Aragon, he would have picked the 25-year-old as the most likely rider to challenge reigning champion Marc Marquez.
“Marc is still the best rider, but he is riding injured. If you asked me anybody other than Marc, I would have chosen Ai Ogura, except now because of this Aragon weekend,” Crutchlow said on the official MotoGP channel.
Crutchlow, who raced alongside Ogura as a stand-in, highlighted the Japanese rider’s exceptional tyre management. He noted that Ogura takes longer to get the tyres up to temperature, but that allows him to have plenty of grip left in the latter stages of the race. That trait, Crutchlow says, is reminiscent of Pedrosa.
“He doesn’t activate the tyres like the other guys in the early stages. Then at the end of the race, he has saved the tyres so much that he’s got so much left compared to the others. It’s a very Dani Pedrosa kind of thing,” explained Crutchlow.
Ogura’s light frame – 169cm and 60kg – makes him one of the lightest riders on the grid, complementing his smooth style. This season he has also improved his one-lap pace, making him a more complete package and a genuine threat every race weekend.
Baca Juga
Cal Crutchlow memuji Ai Ogura yang dinilainya mirip Dani Pedrosa, dan menyebutnya kandidat kuat penantang Marc Marquez di MotoGP 2026.
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