The home Grand Prix at Motegi left a lasting impression on Ai Ogura after enduring a demanding race filled with technical hurdles and intense mental pressure in front of his local fans. The Japanese rider had to cope with acceleration issues on the home straight during the final stages of the race while simultaneously fighting off rivals in a fiercely competitive chasing group.
According to reports from Motosan.es, Ai Ogura faced significant difficulties not only in managing his pace on track but also in coordinating his overtaking strategy while simultaneously defending his position from relentless pursuers like Pedro Acosta.
"I feel like I could have done a better race, but it is what it is. The condition of the tires after the race was very good, so nobody seemed to complain about them. Towards the end it was very hard for me to start, to get a good acceleration. Raul was riding very well and kept his pace until the end, without making mistakes. To be honest, I wanted to attack him, but it was impossible to attack him at the end. The acceleration zone was the main problem today," explained Ai Ogura in statements gathered by collaborator Manuel Pecino.
The situation on the track became even more complicated as Pedro Acosta continuously applied pressure from behind. This psychological toll made the intense battle extremely demanding for Ai Ogura while he was desperately trying to orchestrate a clean maneuver on Raul Fernandez.
"Yes, it was a bit chaotic. I was with Pedro, he overtook me and I overtook him back. That cost me a bit. I was preparing my strategy to attack Raul, but I had Pedro behind. I cannot prepare the corner well because I also have to defend my position. It was very tough for my head," recalled Ai Ogura regarding the mental strain of the mid-race skirmishes.
Aside from the on-track scraps, the garage was also met with a surprising universal choice of the hard compound tire following the morning warm-up session, a compound that the leading group, including Marc Marquez, managed to exploit with incredible pace throughout the grand prix.
"This year I saw a lot more people. Anyway, it was a pleasant experience. Both myself and all the Japanese Honda riders had a great time. For me, that means an extra motivation for next year," concluded Ai Ogura.
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