Ai Ogura’s MotoGP Journey: A Season of Peaks and Valleys
Ai Ogura had an impressive debut weekend in MotoGP, marking one of the best rookie performances in recent history. However, his entire season in 2025 didn’t even match the highs of the year’s best rookie season.
Ogura’s initial success at the Thai Grand Prix should have boosted his confidence, but instead, he felt overwhelmed as challenges and crashes mounted throughout the season. Late in the year, he expressed concerns: “My best result in my first race made me feel special, but the subsequent races made me question my potential.”
He initially showed a clear advantage over his teammate Raul Fernandez, particularly early in the season. Ogura outperformed Fernandez in terms of qualifying, sprint, and race times across the first five rounds. By season’s end, however, Fernandez surpassed Ogura in various performance metrics and total points scored.
Many believe the issues stemmed from fitness and self-confidence. A serious crash at Silverstone injured his tibia, and a hand injury at Misano forced him to miss several races. These setbacks, compounded by further falls at Assen and Brno, shook his confidence. Yet, Ogura maintained that he anticipated challenges in MotoGP: “To be honest, nothing surprised me. I always prepare for the worst.”
Despite the inconsistency, team principal Davide Brivio remains optimistic. Familiar with the importance of recognizing a rookie’s peaks, he noted, “Despite the injuries, we value the learning experience. Each MotoGP rider must adapt to a new level of competition and technical demands.”
Looking Ahead: Areas for Improvement
As Ogura prepares for his second season, improvement is essential. While he demonstrated reliability in battles, he struggled to find pace early on in weekends. He reflected, “I need to enhance my time attack skills. I will focus on this during winter tests.”
Ogura’s journey illustrates that projecting a young rider’s development is uncertain, but his realistic outlook and history of overcoming obstacles bode well for his future. After a challenging 2023, he secured a MotoGP contract and emerged as a title contender in 2024, keeping him a strong candidate for future success.
