Today began, almost, with the confirmation that Ai Ogura will move to MotoGP, which in Aleix Espargaró’s view is a commendable and sure bet. The Spaniard also made some comments about Jack Miller directly and seemingly about Franco Morbidelli.
In Austria, the Aprilia rider, who will leave MotoGP at the end of this year to become a test rider for Honda, began by explaining that in his opinion, Trackhouse Racing made the right decision in betting on the Japanese Moto2 rider: ‘If I tell you what I think about this and about another person who will end up in VR46… I can give you my opinion on what Aprilia did with Ogura. It’s a bet. It’s the right thing to do. A rider who is exploding, young, they give him a chance, they take a risk, nobody puts him in the pool, then a Team Director like [Davide] Brivio takes Ogura to Aprilia, ‘chapeau’. I really like that’.
Regarding Ogura, his riding style on the track greatly pleases Espargaró, without forgetting other names that were supposedly on the American team’s shortlist:
– I love him. He has a very aggressive way of riding, he pushes the front a lot. When he debuted in Moto2, I thought he was doing different things. He works alone, he’s aggressive. I really like the fact that Aprilia decided to take Ogura. I think it’s a great signing. Sergio Garcia or Alonso López? Yes, they are also good riders, no doubt, but they were probably less risky, we would have been less shocked by their signing than by Ogura’s. But I really like Ogura’s signing. I think it’s the best thing Trackhouse can do.
About Miller, who may be on his way to Pramac Racing – although nothing is signed as he confirmed today – #41 showed his appreciation for his rival, even talking about another rider who is not yet signed to any team, without revealing who: ‘I get along well with Jack and we are neighbors, he just became a father, I’m happy he can continue with this, because I know he likes bikes much more than I do and that he can continue racing here, I’m very happy for him. But it’s not just Jack, there are other cases on the grid. They asked me about Jack, but there’s another case that’s much worse for me’.
And he concluded, remembering A. López once again and how some riders continue to have opportunities despite results not showing: ‘When you have winning bikes for a long time, you don’t prove anything and they keep giving us options, then we see an Alonso López who is biting his lips to move up to MotoGP and who would come here giving everything. That’s why I decided, but it’s my opinion, and I decided to take a step back for next year, because I have the feeling that I’m not at 1000%, like this guy can be, next year here, and for me that’s enough’.