Amid the paddock buzz at Aragon, Cal Crutchlow has offered a rare, sharp insight into the riding style of MotoGP's newest race winner, Ai Ogura. The former Yamaha test rider sees a striking parallel with the legendary Dani Pedrosa—and it's not just about their smooth technique.
According to Crutchlow, Ogura takes longer than his rivals to get his tyres up to temperature. It's a trait that often leaves him struggling in the opening laps, only to come alive in the latter stages of a race.
The Weight Dilemma That Haunts Ogura
Pedrosa, who weighed just 51kg during his career, often struggled to generate heat in his tyres. Now Ogura, at 60kg, shares the same challenge as one of the lightest riders on the current grid.
"He doesn't activate the tyres like the other guys in the early stages," Crutchlow explained while commentating on the world feed. "But at the end of the race, he saves the tyres so much, he's got so much left compared to the others."
This explains why Ogura can't push hard from the start, but becomes a force to be reckoned with once the tyres reach their optimal working range. Crutchlow added that the Japanese rider is much stronger in hotter conditions when he can attack immediately.
High-Stakes Gamble on Cooler Tracks
Crutchlow warned that this weakness could prove costly at circuits with cooler track temperatures, such as Phillip Island. "In hotter races, he's a lot better because he can push immediately. But if you go somewhere like Phillip Island, it could be a difficult scenario for him, or in wet conditions," he said.
Despite this, Ogura's season has been nothing short of impressive. Before his injury, he racked up five podiums in six races, including a maiden victory at the Dutch Grand Prix. That stellar run briefly lifted him to second in the championship standings.
However, a crash at Silverstone and a fractured hand from a training accident forced him to miss Aragon. Ogura has since slipped to fifth in the standings, trailing leader Jorge Martin by a significant margin. The former Moto2 champion, who will join the factory Yamaha team next season, is hoping to make his comeback at Misano next weekend.
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