The 2025 MotoGP season saw the introduction of a few fresh faces on the paddock. Among them is 2024 Moto2 champion Ai Ogura, who made his debut this weekend at the season opener in Buriram.
Arguably, Ogura flew under the radar before his first race for Trackhouse Aprilia, which recently picked up the iconic Gulf livery.
His performance, especially if the rookie can maintain this impeccable form, will keep him as the talk of the paddock as Aprilia’s front gunner and reigning world champion Jorge Martin remains sidelined from an injury sustained in pre-season testing in Sepang the month prior.
Perhaps it’s too early to coin the rookie as a force to be reckoned with in the premier class, but securing a top-five finish the entire weekend has proved that Ai Ogura has the qualities of a world-class rider. As the year unfolds, it may be a factor of just refining those talents.
In the sprint race, Ogura demonstrated a level of patience rarely echoed by rookies stepping onto the premier class prototype bikes for the first time. Glued behind Francesco Bagnaia in fourth place for almost the entire sprint, the Trackhouse rider and highest Aprilia finisher was able to learn the riding style of the three-time world champion.
Benefitting from a great start in the sprint, the Japanese rider soon had front-row seats to study Bagnaia’s trademark smooth style and late braking, which allowed him to finish just shy of the podium position.
The uncertainties that some in the Trackhouse Aprilia held towards the rookie before the season opener have undoubtedly been put to rest, proving that Davide Brivio has made the correct decision in signing Ogura to helm the satellite RS-GP.
Now, the question remains whether the Ogura can maintain this form for the rest of the season. 2024’s Rookie of the Year, Pedro Acosta, had a similar debut last year for the now-rebranded GASGAS outfit, capturing headlines instantly with his aggressive and knife-edge riding style.
But as the calendar year unfolded, Acosta’s aggression often worked to his detriment, crashing 28 times throughout the season, more than any other rider. Ogura is a star in the making, and hopefully, the patience he showed in the opening race weekend is a trend that he can continue for the rest of the season.