After being in contention for the Moto2 world title until very near the end in 2022, there were many expectations surrounding Ai Ogura, with the rider even being tipped to join LCR Honda in 2023 in place of Takaaki Nakagami. That didn’t turn out to be the case, and this year’s season proved to be tougher for the Japanese rider.
Often seen as an impetuous rider who gives everything and takes risks even when he doesn’t have to, a bit like Jorge Martin in MotoGP, Ogura was a leading figure in the intermediate class in 2022, with three victories, even though the end of the year was adverse, then «helping» Augusto Fernandez to win the title.
Expectations were therefore high for 2023, but the truth is that the Idemitsu Honda Team Asia rider didn’t have an easy time of it and the results fell short of what many had hoped for: only three times did the #79 finish on the podium, in second position in two (Assen and Motegi), and another in third (Spielberg).
Physically, this has been a tough year for the 22-year-old, which helps explain the difficult year, with the japanese missing the opening round in Portimao due to surgery just before the start of the championship, and then suffering another injury in practice.
In the end, Ogura finished ninth with a total of 137.5 points.