Ai Ogura’s upcoming move to the Trackhouse Aprilia MotoGP team for the 2025 season has been a major highlight of the 2024 Austrian MotoGP weekend. Having been a prominent figure in the racing scene since 2015 under the HRC banner. Ogura’s transition from Moto2 to MotoGP marks a significant shift in his career.
Trackhouse Racing team principal Davide Brivio elaborated on the decision to sign the 23-year-old Japanese rider. Emphasizing Ogura’s potential and the team’s vision for his future.
“We believe Ai Ogura is an exceptional talent and one of the standout riders in Moto2,” Brivio told MotoGP.com. “It seems like the right moment for him to make the jump to MotoGP.”
Brivio also touched on Ogura’s unique riding style, noting his sideways approach to cornering, which could bring a fresh dynamic to the MotoGP circuit.
“We find his riding style intriguing from a MotoGP perspective,” Brivio noted. “However, we will need to assess how he adapts to the MotoGP bike. This decision is largely based on our assessment of his potential, though it remains theoretical until we see him on the RS-GP.”
Brivio acknowledged that while the team strongly believes in Ogura’s potential, they will only know for sure once they observe his performance on the MotoGP bike.
“It’s all theoretical at this point,” Brivio admitted. “We haven’t seen him on a MotoGP bike yet, but his skills and style suggest he has what it takes. This evaluation comes from our team and our experts who have reviewed his talent and potential.”
Since Trackhouse has confirmed Raul Fernandez’s return, the team has now finalized its lineup for the upcoming season. Brivio highlighted the team’s strategy of pairing Fernandez, a 24-year-old, with Ogura to invigorate the project.
“By confirming Raul Fernandez, we aimed to refresh the project with a new, young rider alongside him,” Brivio explained. “Our goal is to build and develop the team, creating a legacy and a strong foundation for the future.”
Despite the youthful lineup, Brivio stressed that Trackhouse aims to establish itself as a competitive team rather than just a stepping stone for riders to move to factory teams.
“Ultimately, we hope to retain our riders and not just act as a junior team,” Brivio said. “It’s a significant challenge, but we are committed to building a robust project. This first year is a learning phase for Trackhouse to understand the MotoGP landscape. With the next two years focused on growth and team development.”
Brivio concluded by emphasizing the importance of creating a positive team environment that could encourage riders to stay long-term.
“If we succeed in building a great team atmosphere and achieving success, we hope our riders will be motivated to remain with us,” he said.
