Retired MotoGP rider Cal Crutchlow says he has been impressed by Ai Ogura’s performances so far this season, likening the Japanese rider to 31-time grand prix winner Dani Pedrosa.
Ogura has been one of the revelations of the 2026 MotoGP season, with a marked improvement in qualifying pace complementing his signature late-race speed.
Although the 2024 Moto2 champion largely struggled for speed and consistency on his step up to the premier class last year, he has taken a major step forward in his sophomore season aboard the Trackhouse Aprilia, including a maiden victory at the Dutch Grand Prix.
The 25-year-old had emerged as a genuine title contender following an impressive run of his form in the summer, rising to second in the standings behind factory Aprilia rider Jorge Martin.
But his title challenge was dented by a costly crash at Silverstone before a training injury ruled him out of the Aragon GP and dealt another blow to his championship hopes.
Crutchlow, who raced alongside Ogura during his six appearances as a substitute for the injured Johann Zarco, said he would have picked him as the leading challenger to reigning champion Marc Marquez for the 2026 title.
“I think Marc is still the best rider. But he is riding injured,” the Brit said during the official MotoGP feed.
“If you asked me anybody other than Marc, I would have chosen Ai Ogura, except now because of this [Aragon] weekend.”
Dani Pedrosa, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images
With tyre conservation more important than ever in MotoGP, Ogura’s ability to extend the life of his Michelins and attack in the closing stages has made him a formidable rider in 2026.
Earlier in the year, however, his qualifying results often left him too far down the grid to fully exploit that advantage, but he has since worked on his one-lap pace to become a more complete package.
Crutchlow said Ogura reminds him of his former MotoGP rival Pedrosa, with the two riders sharing similar physical dimensions and a particular strength in managing their tyres.
Pedrosa weighed just 51kg during his grand prix career, while Ogura is also among the lightest riders on the current grid, weighing 60kg and standing 169cm tall.
“I like him [for] the way he rides,” Crutchlow said of Ogura. “The only downside is he takes a lot longer to get going in races.
“I also know why this is. It’s a very Dani Pedrosa kind of thing.
“He doesn’t activate the tyres like the other guys in the early stages. Then at the end of the race, he has saved the tyres so much that he’s got so much left compared to the others.
“So, it takes him longer to activate the tyres, and that’s why he can’t push like you can in the beginning.
“In hotter races, he’s a lot better, because he can push immediately. But you go somewhere like Phillip Island, and it might be a difficult scenario for him, or in rainy conditions.”
