The 23-year-old Japanese rider, who currently competes in Moto2 with the MT Helmets-MSI team, is second in the overall standings, seven points behind his teammate Sergio García, the current leader of the preparatory category for the top series.
Although the deal has not yet been finalized, Motorsport.com has learned that the American team and the rider from Kiyose (Tokyo) have reached an agreement for him to debut in MotoGP on an Aprilia, becoming the teammate of Raul Fernandez, who this week announced his two-year extension with the American team.
This is one of the latest moves in one of the most lively markets of recent times, which could leave illustrious names like Jack Miller without a place in the championship. Another of those who, a priori, will have to bide his time is Joe Roberts. The American, who also competes in the Moto 2 category, has had several discussions with Davide Brivio, team manager of Trackhouse, even if the negotiations did not come to fruition, despite the theoretical convenience that should have favored the hiring.
In any case, Ogura’s more than likely arrival at Aprilia’s satellite team is not without its charm, especially considering the bond that the young rider had with Honda until last year: the brand with the golden wing made him make his championship debut (2018), and its managers have always expressed their intention to keep him with them.
After fighting for the 2022 World Championship until the last Grand Prix, when he lost the title in a duel with Augusto Fernandez, 2023 was a very complicated year for the #79, so much so that he ended up leaving the Idemitsu Team Asia team, sponsored by Honda and with which he had been promoted from Moto3. His inclusion in Trackhouse will certainly lead HRC executives to continue to focus on Takaaki Nakagami for the role of rider for Lucio Cecchinello’s Idemitsu LCR.
As it happens, Honda had already considered the possibility of Ogura riding his compatriot’s bike in 2024, an offer that the Japanese rider refused because he preferred to try to reach MotoGP as Moto2 champion, and because he considered it too risky to debut with a prototype as critical as the current RC213V.
After four races in 2018, Ogura moved up to compete in the Moto3 championship in 2019 and 2020, before making the jump to Moto2 in 2021. His first championship wins came in 2022, when he fought for the intermediate class title until the final races, taking three victories. The Japanese rider had to wait until this year to return to the top step of the podium, winning in Barcelona and Assen.
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