Why Trackhouse Racing signed Ai Ogura in MotoGP ✍️🇯🇵

Moto2 star Ai Ogura has been officially confirmed as moving to MotoGP next season with Trackhouse Racing onboard an Aprilia.
While Ogura has often been linked with the Idemitsu-backed LCR Honda of Takaaki Nakagami, he moved into contention for the Aprilia ride during the summer break.
That also meant fighting off competition from the likes of American star and fellow Moto2 race winner Joe Roberts.
Ogura - who has signed an initial two-year deal - will join current Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez at the American team next year, with Miguel Oliveira expected to move to the new Pramac Yamaha project.
Both Ogura and Fernandez will ride 'current factory specification Trackhouse Aprilia RS-GP bikes' which the team confirmed to Crash.net means '2025 factory bikes'.
But did they make the right decision? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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[@Apexseal1]

im so glad Ai got a ride, he is so talented and likeable. hope he can gel with that aprilia well and show off his talent.

[@apurbajyotiroy5147]

Congratulations ai

[@CrashMotoGP]

How do you think he’ll do?

[@chrisdadda]

I thought Joe was going to get that seat. Oh well, congrats Ogura!

[@CrashMotoGP]

Can’t wait to see what he does on the Aprilia next season, such a talented rider!

[@pedrocostareis8330]

I´m glad that Joe did not went to Trackhouse, this way he will have better chances next year

[@Gcanno]

Remember Joe Roberts turned down the Aprilia ride a few years back . John Hopkins even said it was a bad decision.those rides are like Unicorns even the last place bikes . Teams can see talent even if your on a slower bike Diggi got a factory Ducati bike next year . They saw his data and he showed the talent they put their money behind .

[@kurtnielsen6684]

That Honda has been crap the whole time Nakagami has been on Honda. He never had a fair shot

[@leamondtaylor825]

Ogura was winning on a Honda in Moto 2??? I don't understand this!????? Especially him being Japanese himself, I feel he is going to regret this........ .

[@sandman1347]

I think Joe has performed well this year. He had that injury but other than that, he has been very competitive. He's still third in the standings despite missing a race and riding hurt for another. Tough break for him.

[@weeabooartzz1695]

That's true but there's also a factor that he's 27 now and ai is 23, so +_ 1 year he will take to adapt to the bike and will be 29 where he will be at his best with the bike, and here PECCO and is 3 times champion at 27 so this might be a thought also😅

[@sandman1347]

@@weeabooartzz1695 Both of them are old if it's about age

[@weeabooartzz1695]

@@sandman1347 there's a 4 year age gap b/w them(23&27). That's some serious stuff you are smoking enjoy 🙂

[@sandman1347]

@@weeabooartzz1695 24 is old for a rider coming into MotoGP these days. All of the top prospects are on the grid by age 20/21 nowadays. Neither of these two guys is a top tier prospect. I agree that Ogura seems to have a bit more overall promise but it's close.

[@ianjohnson1207]

It was discussed on a certain channel that covers Motogp that Davide Brivio doesn’t rate Joe Roberts It was as simple as that

[@torangclayruz4098]

He's a very talented japanase. He was about to get his thropy in Moto2. Now he's back on top form. Next year, it's time to explore his capability.

[@dublion7]

I favor Joe Robert’s, but I feel he has not been as consistent as Ai Ogura. Can’t wait to see Ai ride MoroGP!

[@StefanMedici]

Looking forward to finally having a competitive Japanese rider in the big class. I miss the 90s, early 00s when there was a whole bunch of them. They were so much fun to watch. And a first Thai rider, might even then manage to convince the wife to stay watching with me. Then maybe a trip to Buriram could be on the cards. 🎉

[@CrashMotoGP]

Sounds cool!

[@OzzieBird]

While i can see why some may think Joe Roberts should have been the choice, i have to say as an American and a long time MotoGP fan that Trackhouse made the right decision. Trackhouse has an awesome team in place for 2025 and i wish them the best of everything as well as a 2025 World Championship in MotoGP with Martin and Bezz and Raul and Ai all finishing in the top ten along with many podium positions ❤❤❤❤❤

[@sburns2421]

Roberts may get there eventually, but IMO he is not ready. He needs to be Moto2 champion in 2025 to ensure he gets promoted to the big show.

[@MartinMcMartin]

A huge commercial benefit down the toilet, the Americans would eat up having one of their own at the elite level of bike racing which would bring in huge returns.

[@francescogulotta8138]

Ogura, benvenuto nella famiglia Aprilia!!!❤

[@dealwolfstriked272]

Ai Ogura is dominating in Moto2!

[@lukemiller_6]

I hope Furusato moves up to Moto2 if Chantra goes ro MotoGP, he's having a really good season in Moto3

[@OzzieBird]

Olivera didn't want to be at Trackhouse so no worries, move on all. Raul and Ai sounds good to me. I'm an American and as nice as it would be for having Joe Roberts well, even though he is having a good year in 2024 Moto 2 he has been there for many years without showing the obvious results getting him to MotoGP. Trackhouse made the right choice.

[@mariojsilva46]

And Miguel Oliveira have is reasons ore not!?

[@texomajohn2916]

Did he bring a sponsor?

[@emjeaes]

I'm worried that Pramac Yamaha might take another Moto2 rider instead of Jack

[@beetlesazer]

There is. Sergio Garcia, or Celestino Vietti. Vietti is now consistent in Silverstone and Red Bull Ring. I think Oliveira, Miller, and Fernandez will go to SBK.

[@mariojsilva46]

Lol

[@mariojsilva46]

Way u think that? They are bad riders ore trackshit is a bad team ore like u say ore Oliveira have a bad resumie dog!!

[@mariojsilva46]

As a Portuguese love seing Oliveira leave trackshit and maybe motogp ❤

[@phillisblkdck193]

Like everything we do give us another season and that track shit we running right down your throat with that Portuguese bullshit y'all are riding

[@scotchfiu]

What about Garcia?? Honda 2026? Nobody wants him next year?? He will be Moto2 champ this year.

[@pedrocostareis8330]

David Brivio is totally lost and doesn´t know anymore what excuses he can make anymore...!!! Miguel Oliveira got a 2nd place in a sprint and a 6th in a race when trackhouse was pushed (including Brivio...) out of the box and replaced by only a few Aprilia official mechanics!!! After that, the disgraced results come back... So what the "HEC" is Brivio & trackhouse team doing there???!!! Why ex-Suzuki guys preferred to stay on Honda & Yamaha and did not come back to join Brivio?...

[@christianalbers3820]

as an American fan of motogp the team I support will not be guided by the "passport" of the owners. Trackhouse will never get my support for passing on Joe Roberts and my friends and fellow American motogp fans feel the same way. TH missed a big chance with Joe.

[@Gcanno]

Joe Roberts was offered a Motogp ride on a Aprilia before they got better , he wanted to dictate his terms on which bike he wanted to be on and turned it down . John Hopkins who was helping mentor Joe at the time said he made a massive mistake .

[@phillisblkdck193]

I'm an American and I agree I don't think Roberts is worth the time He seems to constantly choke when the pressure's on

[@Zero2jyson]

what happened to what was sold to us about this american nascar company buying into the motogp grid to represent America's riders. #16. we have 20 riders right now in America that are far better then your current line up. Best of luck.

[@ianjohnson1207]

You don’t have any riders that are even capable of being in moto2 in the states at the moment and that’s the problem

[@mariojsilva46]

Now u all saing ogura is better than guys like Oli Raul Miller lol your standarts are low 😂😅

[@dannykinard30]

Because Trackhouse sucks!

[@daringries]

Dumb move! Screw Trackhouse 😢