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Ai Ogura was the surprise of the Thailand weekend. Fourth in the Sprint Race and fifth in the GP at his first race in the top category, he knows that in Argentina he will have the eyes of the paddock and insiders on him, yet, with the attitude of a seasoned rider, on the eve of the race he shrugged, even downplaying what he achieved in Buriram.
"The track is more in our favor than the one in Thailand, however, I don't have data at my disposal and I don't have experience on a MotoGP bike," he said, "So I don't know what to expect, I just know that I'm anxious to get out on the track and get a more complete picture. Since we didn't have the race here last year, we will all start a little bit from the same level and that might help. How am I handling the pressure after the recent good performance? I don't feel it, so I would say well. There was no hype in Japan either. They don't care much about motorcycle racing there."
Asked what he expects from Pirelli, which will become the reference tyres for the future, the Trackhouse rider said, "These are very different tyres from the others, in contrast Michelin and Dunlop are similar. As I know them already I might have an advantage."
Thirteenth in both races so far Fermin Aldeguer was not afraid to blurt out a little more than his colleague about his chances of doing well at Termas de Rio Hondo.
"I expect a good weekend with good weather," he began, "It won't be easy since I will have to face a new track without even having ridden it in testing, but it could also be a benefit. In the end we will all be in the same condition. It will be important to stay calm. I personally love this circuit and have good memories, so I know I will be able to enjoy it. For us on our debut in the series it will perhaps be easier, also because the 2023 edition was characterized by bad weather, at least in qualifying and the GP, and only the Sprint was run in the dry, so it will be something new for everyone."
"The layout also suits my style well, we will see if I will be able to get in the top 10 - he continued - Pirelli? I could not point out the differences from the other suppliers because I am riding a different bike, however in my opinion there is more closeness between the Italian and Michelin, than in the comparison with Dunlop. However this is all talk for 2027, now we have to think about the present and keep working."
The least competitive of the three rookies on the Asian weekend, namely Somkiat Chantra, preferred to avoid making any predictions, dictating his schedule instead. "I remember the track from my experience in Moto2 and at that point I performed well - explained the Honda LCR rider - So I hope to position myself well in the top class as well. At the moment I am still getting to know the bike, so simply I will have to give 100% and find the best set-up for Saturday and Sunday. Those who were already racing in MotoGP will start from 5 on a scale of 0 to 10, us rookies from the bottom. Only if I can learn quickly will I have a chance. Tomorrow morning we will test the tyres at length with a view to the race, while in the afternoon I will focus on hunting for a time, hoping to get into Q2."
