Marco Bezzecchi
MotoGP pundit Neil Hodgson believes Marc Marquez has now been dethroned as MotoGP’s “king of the rear brake” after what he saw from one of the Spaniard’s title rivals during the Dutch Grand Prix.
Marc Marquez’s superpower in MotoGP has largely been attributed to his prowess on the rear brake pedal, with a multitude of premier class paddock figures praising the Spaniard’s ability to aggressively brake late and still manage to hit the apex.
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In fact, engineers have been trying to figure out a way to replicate Marquez’s braking technique into a bike device for years, to no avail. The way in which the Ducati ace is able to escape locking his front tyre has often left mechanics baffled.
While Marquez’s dominance last year indicated “no one else” on the MotoGP grid could match his incredible technique, Neil Hodgson believes one breakout star from this year’s championship has already one-upped the seven-time premier class title-winner.
Neil Hodgson says Ai Ogura has dethroned Marc Marquez as the ‘king of the rear brake’
Speaking via the Gas It Out podcast, the MotoGP pundit was full of praise for Ai Ogura following the Japanese rider’s clinching of a maiden race win in the premier class at the Dutch Grand Prix.
It was a special day all around for Trackhouse, with Raul Fernandez taking the chequered flag in P2 to complete the American satellite team’s first-ever one-two in the sport as well.
“He’s a very instinctive rider, the most unaggressive-looking individual you will ever meet,” Hodgson began. “He’s just a really quiet, humble guy, isn’t he? But when he puts his visor down, he attacks. And he’s always been like that, even in the smaller classes.”
The former MotoGP rider then got on to the topic of what makes Ogura so good compared to those on the same bike as him, citing the 25-year-old’s incredible rear brake control as a key factor in his sheer speed atop a prototype.
“He is the king of the rear brake,” he asserted. “I know the majority of MotoGP riders use a lot of rear brake, but Ai definitely is the Marc Marquez way.
“We know Marc uses a lot of rear brake, and that does help pull the bike back; it does help just take a bit of load off the front, so whatever he’s doing, he’s found that sweet spot. The others will have to watch out because he is a title contender. It’s brilliant.”
Ogura now sits just 25 points behind the current championship leader, Jorge Martin, a number equal to just one full Grand Prix victory. He’s been a standout performer this season, having not seen the chequered flag lower than P8 in the longer-format races.
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Neil Hodgson believes Ai Ogura’s riding style is the ‘polar opposite’ of Francesco Bagnaia
Hodgson also compared Ogura to Marquez’s factory Ducati teammate, Francesco Bagnaia, highlighting how the Japanese rider usually comes alive in Grands Prix in a “polar opposite” fashion to the two-time world champion.
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“He’s almost the opposite of Bagnaia,” Hodgson added. “If he gets behind somebody, he finds it hard after two or three laps. Ai is the polar opposite.”
He identified how Ogura excels when following his rivals, due to the increase in front tyre pressure that he receives as a result of the dirty air ahead. Bagnaia, on the other hand, often goes backwards in these circumstances.
“You look at Bagnaia, and it looks like it gets to a point where he’s got grip, he’s got grip, he’s got grip, and then it goes,” he continued.
“As soon as his front tyre pressure goes up, he can’t ride with it. Whereas Ai Ogura looks like he starts where he’s not got grip, and then, when the pressure comes up, he’s able to fight in that situation.”
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