It all began with a conversation. Just before the start of the MotoGP World Championship season, the championship itself released a video featuring two of the season’s biggest stars, Marc Márquez, the newest signing for Ducati, and Ai Ogura, the recent Moto2 champion. In the video, Márquez, an eight-time champion, can be heard saying to Ogura, “Now you’re the Japanese idol in Motegi. Now it’s your turn.” Márquez has always been a fan favorite in Asia, thanks to his time with Honda, but now the giant has a new favorite in the form of Aprilia’s satellite rider. And the start of the MotoGP season only confirms this.
As the season kicked off, Ogura made a stunning debut, finishing fourth in the sprint and fifth in the main race. He was the top performer among non-Ducati riders, outpacing the likes of KTM’s Brad Binder and Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo. This impressive start has many take note, including Márquez, who had unwittingly passed the torch to the young Japanese rider. Ogura’s results were not just impressive on paper; he also showed his skills on the track, keeping pace with Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia in the sprint and maintaining his composure throughout the main race.
A Historic Debut
It was an incredible weekend.
Ogura’s performance was the best by a debutant in 12 years, with no newcomer since Marc Márquez in 2013 achieving such a high finish. Márquez had finished third in Qatar back in 2013, in a battle that marked the beginning of a long-standing rivalry with Valentino Rossi. Ogura’s achievement eclipsed those of other notable debutants, including Pedro Acosta, Enea Bastianini, and Joan Mir.
Márquez’s own debut in 2013 was historic, marking the start of a magnificent season that would see him claim the championship title in Valencia after a thrilling battle with Jorge Lorenzo. He secured six wins that season, including victories in Austin, Germany, Indianapolis, Laguna Seca, Brno, and Aragon, and overcame dramatic moments like his disqualification in Phillip Island to eventually claim the title with a third-place finish in the Ricardo Tormo.
Ogura’s Road Ahead
We see something special when he brakes, studying his riding style.
As for Ogura, he will focus on improving, with his team principal, Davide Brivio, praising his unique riding style, particularly his braking technique. Ogura’s path to MotoGP was not straightforward; he was initially linked with Honda but ultimately chose to join Aprilia after winning the Moto2 championship with the MSi team. Honda, meanwhile, had to look elsewhere, signing Chantra, who now finds himself far behind Ogura in the pecking order.