After being in rivalry for the Moto2 world title till very close to the top in 2022, there have been many expectations surrounding Ai Ogura, with the rider even being tipped to hitch LCR Honda in 2023 rather than Takaaki Nakagami. That didn’t grow to be the case, and this yr’s season proved to be harder for the Japanese rider.
Typically seen as an impetuous rider who offers every part and takes dangers even when he doesn’t should, a bit like Jorge Martin in MotoGP, Ogura was a number one determine within the intermediate class in 2022, with three victories, although the top of the yr was hostile, then «serving to» Augusto Fernandez to win the title.
Expectations have been due to this fact excessive for 2023, however the fact is that the Idemitsu Honda Workforce Asia rider didn’t have a simple time of it and the outcomes fell wanting what many had hoped for: solely thrice did the #79 end on the rostrum, in second place in two (Assen and Motegi), and one other in third (Spielberg).
Bodily, this has been a troublesome yr for the 22-year-old, which helps clarify the tough yr, with {the japanese} lacking the opening spherical in Portimao as a result of surgical procedure simply earlier than the beginning of the championship, after which struggling one other harm in apply.
In the long run, Ogura completed ninth with a complete of 137.5 factors.