The signing of the Japanese rider, who currently competes in the Moto2 World Championship – second in the standings, 22 points behind leader Sergio Garcia – was reported last month by Motorsport.com and comes ahead of the arrival of Miguel Oliveira at Prima Pramac Racing, which is expected to be announced in the near future.
Ogura, 23, has committed to Justin Marks’ team for the next two years, until the end of 2026. The Japanese rider, who has two wins and four podiums so far this year, got the better of American Joe Roberts, with whom Trackhouse officials have had several meetings that have not gone well.
“First of all, I would like to thank everyone who is part of this project and everyone who has supported me. Of course, this is the dream! The final step to take. MotoGP is the highest level you can have, so I am obviously very happy to have gotten there. I am very happy to be able to race in the premier class and I am looking forward to doing it together with the Trackhouse Racing MotoGP Team,” said Ogura.
“I see that the team is really competitive and the bike is very strong. As a rider, my job is to do what I can with everything I have. The mentality is always the same, but I am very happy to be part of Trackhouse Racing and to take this step towards MotoGP with them. I can’t wait to start 2025. Now I have to think about the Moto2 World Championship. I will try to finish this year in the best possible way and arrive well prepared for 2025. Thank you all and see you next year!”, added the Japanese rider.
Trackhouse’s signing of Ogura is notable considering his history has always been linked to Honda, which gave him the chance to debut in the championship. Pending further developments, it seems that the #79 will be the only Japanese rider on the grid next year, with the Japanese manufacturer intending to replace Team LCR’s Takaaki Nakagami with Thai rider Somkiat Chantra, also coming from Moto2.
Likewise, it is surprising that Ogura and Chantra will be able to debut in MotoGP next season, while Sergio Garcia will not be able to. The Spaniard, who currently dominates the Moto2 class, was also one of the candidates for the second Aprilia of Trackhouse, who ultimately opted for the rider from Kiyose (Tokyo).
“We are thrilled to have finalized the opportunity to start a new project with Ai, one of the most talented riders in Moto2. We appreciate his riding style, his endurance during the races and we believe that Ai has the potential to become a great MotoGP rider. While we will work to develop the Trackhouse Team as a project for MotoGP, we will simultaneously work to give Ai the tools to express his talent and grow as much as possible,” said team principal Davide Brivio.
“I believe that with Raul, a young but experienced driver, and Ai, a new talent on the rise, Trackhouse has secured a strong driver lineup for the future. We have an exciting time ahead of us, but first of all we want to focus on what we are doing now, our championships and try to get the best possible result, before starting our journey together,” he continued.
Ogura’s signing clarifies another of the remaining unknowns on the 2025 starting grid, which is becoming more defined with each passing week. With the 11th round of the calendar taking place this weekend in Austria, there are still five announcements to go, but all seem to be settled.
Valentino Rossi will not leave his pupil Franco Morbidelli on foot and will welcome him to VR46, where he will pair up with Fabio Di Giannantonio, the spearhead of the Tavullia team. Fermin Aldeguer should be Marc Marquez’s replacement at Gresini, once the Catalan moves to the official Ducati box and wears red.
The official switch from Nakagami to Chantra could also be made official at any moment, a procedure that would leave only the Pramac duo unresolved. Oliveira and Jack Miller, who a month ago had half a foot out of MotoGP and who is now finalizing his move to Paolo Campinoti’s team, should be the designated choices.
Team owner Justin Marks took advantage of the announcement to also welcome the departure of the Portuguese rider: “Trackhouse deeply appreciates the work and commitment that Miguel has put in this year, our first in MotoGP. His willingness to work with the new ownership and get the most out of the Aprilia RS-GP24 this season has been a great asset to Trackhouse’s success in the championship. We wish him the best for 2025 and beyond, and look forward to continued success in the 2024 season.”
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