OGURA TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONTACT WITH BEZZECCHI IN SEPANG

Ai Ogura apologised for contact with Aprilia teammate Marco Bezzecchi during the Malaysian Grand Prix, accepting responsibility for a clash that sent carbon-fibre debris flying but left both riders upright.

The Trackhouse rider was battling the factory Aprilia racer for fourth place. Ogura said the incident happened as they entered Turn 1: Bezzecchi braked late and moved off the racing line, creating what Ogura thought was a chance to pass. He expected Bezzecchi to stay wide and set himself up for the next corner, but the Italian tried to return to the ideal line. “I misread the situation,” Ogura said, adding: “The contact was entirely my fault.”

Ogura had not yet spoken with Aprilia management when interviewed, but said he intended to apologise to Bezzecchi in person. “When there is such hard contact in a battle, you are shocked,” he said. “Fortunately, neither of us crashed.”

Starting fourth, Ogura initially held the position ahead of Bezzecchi before dropping to fifth. He made his final move in the closing quarter of the race to secure fourth. The Japanese rider felt the outcome reflected how well he managed his tyres, though he believed the riders ahead had judged their race pace and tyre use more effectively. “If I had managed to stay ahead of Bez at the beginning, it would have been a different race,” he said. “For me, today’s result was the maximum.”

The result marked a clear improvement on Ogura’s previous visit to Sepang, where he finished 12th in the sprint and 10th in the Grand Prix. He described the circuit as one where his side of the garage has struggled most, but said the team was closer to the front this year than in recent seasons. “I expected this result,” he said.

It was a difficult weekend overall for Aprilia. Jorge Martin ended his attempt to protect his title hopes after trying to race with an injured wrist, while Bezzecchi was unable to strengthen his remaining championship bid.