Ai Ogura breaks time attack “wall” in final MotoGP preseason test

Ai Ogura says that hot lap speed in MotoGP is more difficult to achieve than race pace, but claims he found a step forward on the final day of testing.

This week’s Buriram MotoGP test is the final one for Ogura before his MotoGP race debut at the same venue on 2 March, and has therefore been his final chance to dial himself in with the Aprilia RS-GP before the pressure of a race weekend is applied.

Th final morning of the test in Thailand saw Ogura set a time almost good enough to be in the top 10 of last year’s Q2 session, something about which the Trackhouse Racing rider was pleased.

“I’m happy about our performance this morning and we can be happy about that,” Ogura said.

“I think we are a bit more in a time attack mode compared to the other guys. But the position is the position at the end, so pretty happy.

Ogura said that the time attack was the more difficult thing to adapt to compared to race pace, but he “broke the wall” on his one-lap speed on the final morning of testing.

“Just making laps with your pace is much easier than the time attack, and that’s exactly where I struggled in Sepang and yesterday,” he said.

“But this morning it was kind of like I broke the wall and I could find two or three tenths more. So, I think I’m getting used to this time attack mode on the MotoGP bike, and it’s where we want to work for today.”

Ai Ogura impresses ahead of MotoGP debut

The Japanese rider is not daunted by the prospect of a full race distance, either.

“I think the longest run I had was in Sepang,” the reigning Moto2 World Champion said. “Yesterday I only did Sprint simulations.

“But, in Sepang, I had no problems for the main race distance.

“About the performance, in the first race you just do everything that you ran during the testing days, so we will see.

“Before I’ve done one race I can’t see anything, after the first race you can see a much better picture. So, now I just want to make one race.”

Finally, Ogura commented on his adaptation to the Michelin tyres and how they differ from the Pirellis and Dunlops he ran in Moto2.

“I think it’s good,” Ogura said of his adaptation.

“Yesterday I was struggling on the straight braking, but this morning I felt much better, the lap time was easier to come with the confidence I have now with the front tyre.

“I think we are adapting well. Slowly, but yes.”

He added: “The tyre is much harder, so in a good way to say it’s much more stable, but in maybe a bad way it [gives] less information. So, I need to get the feeling.”