Former Moto2 winner helped Aprilia MotoGP rider identify where he lost Assen sprint

Trackhouse Aprilia MotoGP rider Ai Ogura says his victory hopes in the Dutch Grand Prix sprint were dashed on the opening lap, which was pointed out to him by a Moto2 race winner.

The Japanese rider went from second on the grid and led into Turn 1 ahead of polesitter Jorge Martin.

But he was passed on the run out of Turn 5 by the Spaniard and was shuffled back to third at one stage, before rallying to finish second behind team-mate Raul Fernandez.

Speaking after the sprint, Ai Ogura said he his crucial mistake was pointed out to him by former Moto2 race winner and Sky Italy pundit Mattia Pasini.

“First lap,” he said when asked where he went wrong.

“On Sky TV, Passini told me my line in Turn 5 was wrong… not wrong, but I opened too much space for the others in behind, so it was good that he told me this.

“First two, three laps is what I can improve for tomorrow.”

Ogura made a hard move on VR46 Ducati’s Fabio Di Giannantonio for second at the final chicane in the closing stages.

However, he doesn’t consider this to be a good overtaking because he didn’t feel like he was close enough.

Ogura also praised Di Giannantonio in that moment, as “probably something happened” if he did that to another rider.

“Nice? No, no. That was not the kind of overtaking that I like, but we're both on the podium, so it's okay,” he said.

“I expected to be a little more close to DiGia before into Turn 16, into the last chicane.

“But my preparation for overtaking wasn't really good, but it was a moment to overtake, so I went for it.

“But lucky that I had DiGia. Another rider, probably something happened.”

Asked to compare his sprint podium at Brno and whether he was closer to winning on Saturday at Assen, he replied: “It's very similar.

“If I could be a little more aggressive… I mean, I don't need to be aggressive, but if I don't lose any kind of position, any kind of important position in the first two or three laps, I have a big chance for the victory.

“In Brno, I lost positions; here I lost positions. That's why I'm second.”