Ai Ogura, a MotoGP rookie, was disqualified from the Argentina GP due to a technical infraction involving non-approved software by Trackhouse Racing. This decision cost him an eighth place finish and eight points. His teammate Raúl Fernández was unexpectedly promoted to 15th, earning his first season points. Despite the setback, Ogura’s earlier performances position him eighth in the standings.
Ai Ogura, a rookie in MotoGP, has faced disqualification from the Argentina Grand Prix due to a technical breach by his team, Trackhouse Racing, involving unauthorized software. As a result of this decision, the Japanese rider forfeits an impressive eighth place finish that he achieved after starting from 15th. Additionally, he loses the eight points he would have earned from this placement.
The disqualification was confirmed by the stewards on Sunday evening at Termas de Rio Hondo, citing that Ogura’s team utilized a non-approved software version during the race. The statement detailed that Ogura violated regulations concerning the Electronic Control Unit and Inertial Measurement Unit as outlined in Article 2.4.3.5.3 of the FIM Grand Prix World Championship Regulations.
Ironically, this exclusion benefits Ogura’s teammate Raúl Fernández, who unexpectedly ascends to 15th place in the overall standings, thereby earning his first points of the season. In contrast, Ogura’s season began remarkably with a fifth place finish in the Thai Grand Prix two weeks prior, bringing his total to 17 points to date despite the zero-score in Argentina.
Ogura’s challenges were apparent as he could only manage 15th in the sprint race at the Argentina GP. Prior to this, he demonstrated considerable skill in Moto2, making his first year in MotoGP noteworthy with a solid performance, including a fourth place in the sprint on the season’s opening weekend.
In summary, Ai Ogura’s disqualification from the Argentina Grand Prix due to unauthorized software has cost him vital points and a commendable race finish. While his teammate Raúl Fernández benefits from this situation, Ogura’s promising start to the season remains evident despite this setback. His substantial points tally from the preceding races positions him competitively in the championship standings, but this incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of adherence to technical regulations in professional racing.
Original Source: www.motorsport.com
