Scott Ogden secured his best finish for the VisionTrack Racing Team in the Spanish GP at Jerez on Sunday.
Despite the success, Ogden was far from satisfied as the 18-year-old believes he has the potential for much more having started from his highest qualifying position, of ninth, for the 22-lap race.
“The race wasn’t quite what I wanted,” Ogden admitted from Spain on Sunday afternoon. “I have to take the positives from it which was being the top Honda today.
“I’m really disappointed that I couldn’t finish higher, but at the same time I pulled five seconds on some of the best riders in the world on the same bike.
“I’ve got to keep working and the team is doing a great job, we’ll try and improve for the next race.”
Ogden’s team boss Taylor Mackenzie was less despondent on the young Brit’s performance, having watched him fight back up the points positions after dropped to 15th in the opening stages.
“Scott rode exceptionally well all weekend and is going from strength to strength each time he goes out on track,” Mackenzie said proudly. “We’ve got more we can work on to hopefully help him fight at the very front soon.
“I’m very happy with how we’re progressing as a team,” he continued on the rookie outfit launched by Michael Laverty at the end of last season.
“In only our sixth Grand Prix of the season we’re regularly fighting inside the top ten of the class now. It’s far beyond what I expected we could realistically achieve as a team at this stage and I’m extremely proud of everyone that’s involved in this project.”
The other side of the garage endured a more challenging weekend after 16-year-old Josh Whatley was ruled out of action following a knock to the head in an FP1 crash on Friday morning.
“I was disappointed for Josh this weekend, it was the right decision to sit this one out and I’m sure he’ll be stronger in Le Mans,” Mackenzie confirmed.
“I’m very disappointed not to have been able to race this weekend however it was the right decision to make and Le Mans is only two weeks away where I’ll be fully fit again,” Whatley added. “I’ll be able to restart where I left off in Portimao and continue with the positive steps forward we made the last time I rode.”
