What a performance by Ai Ogura at Assen! The Japanese driver was known for his blistering comebacks thanks to his exceptional tire management, but now he's performing well in qualifying! Ogura, starting second on the grid, had the opportunity to quickly pull away and take the win, but he was soon overtaken, first by Jorge Martin and then by his teammate Raul Fernandez. He lost significant positions on the first lap but still managed to climb back to second place. A result that didn't entirely satisfy him.
Indeed, it seemed that Ogura had everything he needed to win his first MotoGP race. But that will have to wait for another time. « I'm happy for our team. But losing several places in the first three laps is hard to swallow.I didn't need to be more aggressive, but without losing positions at the start of the race, I would have had a chance to win. That's why I'm so disappointed » he told reporters speedweek.
All smAI-les 😄#DutchGP 🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/BbOvP3s3FT
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) June 27, 2026
Ai, who had been behind Fabio Di Giannantonio for a while, had to make a magnificent overtaking maneuver in the final chicane. He thanked his rival for giving him the necessary space, as he had come from far back. « I had to seize the opportunity, even if my preparation wasn't optimal.I was lucky to have to overtake Diggia with that maneuver. because something would probably have happened if I had overtaken another driver » he added.
Photo: Michelin Motorsport
After some thought, he puts things into perspective and tells himself that he will have another chance tomorrow. "We know what we need to improve for Sunday. It was a great race nonetheless." he concluded succinctly, as was his wont. Ai Ogura has undoubtedly been one of the fastest riders in the world for the past few weeks. His first MotoGP victory seems to be only a matter of time, but who knows what the racing gods have in store for him.
Do you think Ogura can absolutely win tomorrow in Assen? Tell us in the comments!
MotoGP Sprint Result at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix:
Classification credit: MotoGP.com
Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport
