Ai Ogura explains "scary" ride height issue that almost cost him Assen MotoGP win

MotoGP Dutch Grand Prix winner Ai Ogura thinks the “scary” ride height device issue he suffered late in the race was down to his own error.

The Trackhouse Aprilia rider was running in third, having closed down the leaders, when he ran wide at Turn 4 on lap 16 of 26.

Replays showed his rear ride height device was down at that moment, though he was able to recover it and get back up to pace.

Ai Ogura passed Aprilia stablemates Jorge Martin and Raul Fernandez in the latter stages to secure a maiden MotoGP win.

Explaining what the problem was, Ogura said after the race that he accidentally engaged the ride height device out of Turn 1.

“At that time, before I got that problem on the rear advice, I was managing, and I could see the situation of Raul and Jorge,” he told MotoGP’s After the Flag.

“And I said, ‘OK, there is a possibility’. But then I got this problem, the gap went up again.

“I was worried about that. But my pace was good enough to catch them and overtake them, and even gap them at the end.

“Well, I activated the rear device at the last chicane, and you unlock the device at Turn 1.

“I don’t know. Somehow, the rear device activated again between Turns 1 and 3; probably, I touched the button somehow.

“I think that was a mistake from me. That was a scary one, but I didn’t lose so much time luckily.”

Is Ai Ogura a championship contender now?

Ogura has become the first Japanese rider since 2004 to win a premier class grand prix, and is now just 16 points from the championship lead.

Asked if he is now considering himself a title contender, Ogura replied: “I’ll keep doing my job in the next races.

“And if it’s enough, I can be happy. But if they do something better, they are just better.”

The Japanese rider also admits the final laps of the race he was leading were not enjoyable.

“I could see the situation they had, so I knew my pace was a little bit better than theirs,” he added.

“I was not rushing; I was just doing my ride and the gap was getting bigger between me and them.

“Of course, that wasn’t a nice feeling because I felt like four, five laps was super long.

“For me, winning in Assen made it even more special because it’s one of my favourite tracks.

“I won the race in Moto2 as well. So, super happy to ride in front of all the fans in this place. And when I crossed the line, just so much satisfaction.”