Ogura turns a disastrous Friday into sixth place at home

On Friday, Ai Ogura began Practice with a breakdown almost immediately after leaving the pits before finishing 15th and being forced into Q1. On Sunday, the Japanese rider leaves Motegi with sixth place in front of his home crowd.

Ogura spent much of the race fighting for the top six with team-mate Raúl Fernández and Pedro Acosta. In the closing laps, Acosta first passed Ogura, but the Trackhouse rider responded and reclaimed sixth. Fernández finished fifth just ahead of him.

The result also changes the reading of his weekend: after Friday’s breakdown and the need to go through Q1, Ogura rebuilt his Grand Prix to become the highest-finishing Japanese rider, while Luca Marini gives Honda a top-10 result in 10th.