Part1 "Ai Ogura's Origin ― Becoming a MotoGP™ Rider"

Ai Ogura is the only Japanese Rider who regularly competes in the world’s premier class. This season, he started riding the monster machine, the MotoGP™ bike, which exceeds a top speed of 350 km/h. There are a total of 22 Riders competing in the MotoGP™ class. Ogura is one of those top 22 in the world.

1. 

   To put it simply, he is like a Japanese Hollywood actor. However, Ai is also a “world-class Rider you can actually meet.” During many days of his stay in Japan, he can be found at mini-bike or off-road courses. He doesn’t have them all to himself but rides alongside regular riders. And if you talk to him, he responds in a friendly manner. Since he started competing in the top class, the only thing that has changed is that the transport vehicle for his training bike has become larger and more convenient to use.

2. 

   Ai's motorcycle life began, like other GP Riders, with pocket bikes. Born on January 26, 2001, to a former rider father and a mother who was a former judoka selected as an Olympic training athlete, Ai started riding pocket bikes at the age of three, following her older sister Karen, who began riding pocket bikes at three as well, two school years ahead of her.

   "Before I knew it, I was riding."

   Even after entering elementary school, visits to the circuit continued. When classes ended, one of my parents would park the transport vehicle in front of the school gate and wait for me.

   "My goal was to become a GP Rider. I had been watching since I was little. It wasn’t a sense of it being a job, but I had decided, ‘I will become this.’ Before I knew it, that’s what I had become."

   In third grade of elementary school, he stepped up to mini-bike racing, and in middle school, to road racing. Aiming to become a GP Rider, he participated in the selection for the Asia Talent Cup and passed with flying colors.

   "It was my first time overseas, and I didn’t understand English, but I was allowed to join the tour and went."

   Ayumu Sasaki and Kaito Toba are in the same grade. The two of them had already been active in the Asia Talent Cup. Ai caught up to them and, determined to surpass them, continued to work hard, progressing to the MotoGP™ Rookies Cup and the CEV (Spanish Championship).

   In 2019, at the age of 18, Ai made his GP debut in the Moto3™ class. He achieved a 2nd place podium finish in the 14th race and competed for the title in his second year. The following year, in 2021, he was promoted to the Moto2™ class. There too, he joined the title fight in his second year.

3. 

   When he started competing in the World Championship in 2019, he joined Honda Team Asia. The team was led by former GP250 World Champion Hiroshi Aoyama and had a base in Spain for riders competing in Europe. Four Team Asia riders from Moto2™ and Moto3™ lived together, training while living in private rooms, creating an ideal environment for growth as GP Riders.

   Ai spent 2 years in Moto3™ and 2 years in Moto2™, totaling 4 seasons with Honda Team Asia.

   Then, in 2024, his fifth year of competition, Ai graduated from Honda Team Asia and transferred to MSi Racing. Until the previous year, MSi Racing had only competed in Moto3™, making 2024 their first year in Moto2™. Additionally, from this year, the control tire in Moto2™ changed from Dunlop to Pirelli. The machine also switched from Kalex to Boscoscuro, bringing many new changes. However, Ai adapted brilliantly and made a significant leap forward. With two races remaining in the season, he secured the title, shining as a champion for the first time.

4. 

   Toba, of the same generation, won the title in the Asia Talent Cup, and Sasaki claimed the title in the MotoGP™ Rookies Cup. Toba and Sasaki were born in 2000, while Ai was born in January 2001. Although they were in the same grade, Ai was always overtaken by them. However, at this time, Ai took the lead and won the world title ahead of them.

   And this season, Ai was promoted to the premier class. She chose the Track House MotoGP™ Team, which newly entered MotoGP™ in 2024. The machine is an Aprilia. A new class, a new machine, new tires. As a MotoGP™ Rider she had dreamed of since childhood, she finally took her first step.

   Aoi always says, "I want to fight each race properly." With that phrase in her heart, she is taking on her rookie season in the premier class.

Part 2: "The turbulent first half of 2025, experiences and lessons accumulated one by one"

The opening race of this year, which was Ai Ogura's rookie season in the MotoGP™ class, took place in Thailand. In recent years, the Qatar night race had been established as the season opener, but this year it was held as a day race for the first time in a while. It was the first time the Thailand GP served as the opening race. Additionally, with the birth of the first Thai MotoGP™ Rider, the events before the opening were more glamorous than usual. Amidst that spotlight, Ai beamed with all his might.

1. 

   In the opening race, Ai secured 5th place in qualifying. He achieved excellent results with 4th place in his first sprint and 5th place in the main race.

   "The biggest thing was being able to follow Pecco (Francesco Bagnaia, the 2022 and 2023 MotoGP™ Champion) for 13 laps during Saturday's sprint. It was truly a high-quality lap. In the main race, I was able to follow Franco (Morbidelli), and there were three Ducati riders in the top positions. I learned a great deal from them."

2. 

   Ai had a strong start to the season. However, the world’s top class is not that forgiving. In Round 2, the Argentine GP, she finished in the top 10, but after the race, a machine homologation violation was discovered, resulting in disqualification.

3. 

   After that, she experienced her first flag-to-flag race and failures in tire management. As a rookie, Ai accumulated new learnings with each race.

   At Round 7, the British GP, she crashed on the first day and injured her knee.
   "The timing and amount of push were wrong, which caused the crash. After that, my right knee wasn’t feeling very good, so I decided to skip the afternoon practice."

   Although it was not serious, subsequent running was canceled. He returned to Spain, his base in Europe, and underwent surgery.

4. 

   Then he made his comeback at Round 9, the Italian GP. While stating that his goal was to finish the race, he finished in 10th place, showing a strong performance.

   Thus, Ai went through a series of experiences including injury, absence, and comeback in the premier class. The first half of the season was a stark reminder of how tough the world’s top class really is.
   “In the first two or three races, I hadn’t fully understood the bike in a good way, so I was able to push as far as I could. I think that worked in my favor. As I gradually understood the bike more, I started to see things that I didn’t need to see before. But that was something I had anticipated even before riding in MotoGP™.”

   Looking back on the first half of the season, she says this.
   "It's not that I'm not concerned, but I don't think it's a problem. I hope to build on this from here."

5. 

   The best race of the first half of the season was Round 2, the Argentine GP. Starting from 15th on the grid, she finished in 8th place.
   "I was able to successfully change the flow of the week on Sunday, and the race itself was good."

   However, after this race, it was revealed that the ECU software was an unapproved version, resulting in disqualification. The team commented, "Ai did not gain any advantage. The wonderful race development and the outstanding performance Ai showed on the track are genuine."

   A turbulent first half of the season for the rookie. Amidst this, the team staff said the following.
   “At first, Ai was riding the Aprilia purely on instinct and talent. However, even Ai, who was a rider with few crashes, began to have more crashes. Now, she must transition from ‘riding on instinct’ to ‘riding with an understanding of the bike.’ She is fully aware of this herself.”

6. 

   In MotoGP™, the schedule is arranged with free practice in the morning and practice in the afternoon on the first day, a sprint on the second day, and the main race on the third day. Preparation was also required to adapt to this different race week flow than before.

   "Step by step, once I accomplish one thing, I move on to the next."

   Right now, I am simply giving my all and putting out 100 percent of what I have.

Part 3: "To the first TrialGP of Japan challenge in the premier class"

Ai Ogura began competing in the World Grand Prix in 2019. That year, Ai experienced his first home round in Moto3™. However, even though it was his home country, Ai, who was raised in the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup, had little riding experience at Mobility Resort Motegi.
"I was spoken to more than usual, and since I wasn’t used to it, I was nervous."

Perhaps due to that nervousness, he crashed on the first timed lap in qualifying. Even so, since he had secured a spot in Q2 on the first day, the worst-case scenario was avoided with an 18th place grid position. However, he couldn't put together a good race in the final and finished 14th. After the race, he hung his head in the pit and found it hard to raise his face.

The following year, the COVID-19 pandemic began, and the season schedule was significantly changed. The Japanese GP was canceled for two consecutive years.

In 2020, his second year competing in Moto3™, he joined the title fight and finished 3rd in the rankings. In 2021, he stepped up to Moto2™.

1. 

   Participation in the Japanese GP in the Moto2™ class came in 2022, his second year in Moto2™. Returning to the Japanese GP held for the first time in three years, Ai came back having grown significantly. The qualifying session, interrupted by a red flag due to heavy rain, saw him qualify 13th.

   "I couldn’t afford to repeat the qualifying crash from 2019, so I planned to set my best time at the end. But even though the qualifying session was short at 15 minutes, it was painful that it was reduced to 9 minutes. Still, it would be great to start from 13th on the grid and make it onto the podium. I’d be happy if I could."

2. 

   The weather cleared up completely for the race. Aoi got off to a good start and moved up to 5th place on the opening lap. Fermín Aldeguer, who was running in 2nd place, crashed on the 3rd lap, and Aron Canet, who was leading the race, crashed on the 4th lap. This left Aoi, Somkiat Chantra, and Alonso Lopez battling at the front of the pack.

3. 

   "It was good to have a moment to calm down and stay composed."

   After the race, Ai looked back and said.
   "Alonso was swaying on the brakes and seemed unable to stop properly, so I thought it would be better to get ahead and run at my own pace."

   He rose to the top on the 13th lap and went on to claim a solo victory. It was the first win by a Japanese Rider at the Japanese GP in 16 years. This remarkable achievement was the first since Hiroshi Aoyama, the manager of the Honda Team Asia he belonged to. At that time, Aoyama shed tears on the podium.

4. 

   "I thought I would never cry, but when I heard the national anthem, I got a little choked up. The view from the podium is a familiar sight. Ah, I thought, I actually won the Japanese GP."

   It was the moment when Ai, who had said, "I'd be happy just to be on the podium," suddenly clinched the victory.

5. 

   In the following year, 2023, he fell ill just before the race week and started with a fever. Even so, he recovered by race day and finished in 2nd place, securing a podium for the second consecutive year.

6. 

   “Last year’s Japanese GP (2024) was hit by unstable weather. In the qualifying session, which saw light rain starting and stopping, he secured the 9th grid position. The cloudy race day started well, and by the exit of turn 2, he had moved up to 2nd place. However, raindrops began to fall, causing a red flag suspension. Although the rain stopped, the track remained wet. Faced with the choice between dry tires and rain tires, Ai chose to gamble on dry tires. This choice paid off, and he finished 2nd, achieving a podium for the third consecutive year at the Japanese GP.

7. 

   "And this year is the first time in the premier class at the Japanese GP. Surely, achieving the podium for the fourth consecutive year won't be easy.
   "My goal is always the same. I want to give everything I can and hope that the fans enjoy the race and the results."

   In any case, giving it their all—that is Ai Ogura. However, in racing, you never know what will happen. No one can definitively say that Ai won’t make the podium at the Japanese GP competing in the premier class.

8. 

1. CEV

   Spanish Championship. Known as a gateway for young Riders. It has now been renamed the Repsol FIM Junior Cup.

2. ECU

   Abbreviation for Electric Control Unit. A common computer that manages the engine and electronic controls. Use of unauthorized software is a violation.

3. Moto3™ / Moto2™

   The lower categories of the MotoGP™ World Championship. Moto3™ is the small displacement class, and Moto2™ is the middle displacement class.

4. MotoGP™ Rookies Cup

   A young talent discovery series held mainly in Europe using KTM machines. A competition where future MotoGP™ Rider candidates gather.

5. MSi Racing

   A new team based in Spain. Expanding participation from Moto3™ to Moto2™.

6. Advancement to Q2

   A qualifying format where the top 10 riders in FP (Free Practice) (14 riders for Moto2™ and Moto3™) advance directly to Q2 (Qualifying 2). Riders who do not set fast times in FP run Q1 (Qualifying 1), and the top 2 riders (4 riders for Moto2™ and Moto3™) from Q1 advance to Q2 to compete for higher grid positions. This directly determines the starting positions for the race.

7. Red Flag Suspension

   A rule where a red flag is shown and the session is temporarily suspended if the progress of the race or qualifying is judged to be dangerous.

8. Aprilia

   An Italian motorcycle manufacturer that also competes in MotoGP™.

9. Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup

   A development race targeting young riders in the Asian region. A gateway to competing in MotoGP™.

10. Opening Lap

    The first lap of the final race. There are significant position changes, making it the most tense lap.

11. Kalex / Boscoscuro

    Frame (chassis) manufacturers used in Moto2™. Kalex is a German company, and Boscoscuro is an Italian company.

12. Crash

    A fall during practice or a race. Because speeds are very high in MotoGP™, it can sometimes lead to serious injuries.

13. Grid

    The starting position for the final race. Determined by the results of qualifying.

14. Control Tire

    A rule that requires all participating Riders to use tires from the same manufacturer.

15. Sprint

    A short-distance race introduced in MotoGP™ from 2023. Held on Saturdays, it affects the starting grid and points for the main race.

16. Tire Management

    A technique to control tire wear and temperature during the race, maintaining performance until the end.

17. Dry Tires / Rain Tires

    Tires for dry and wet surfaces. Choosing incorrectly can cause a significant drop in position.

18. TrackHouse MotoGP™ Team

    An emerging American team that joined MotoGP™ in 2024.

19. Transporter

    A dedicated vehicle that carries race bikes, tools, and equipment. Abbreviation of transporter.

20. Podium

    The platform where Riders who finish in the top three in a race stand. The national anthem of the winning Rider is played, honoring the Rider and the team.

21. Flag to Flag

    A rule that allows the machine to be changed in the pit when the weather or track conditions suddenly change during the race. It is possible to switch to different tires, such as from dry to rain tires. This rule applies only to the MotoGP™ class.

22. Free Practice / Practice

    Free Practice is for adjustments, while Practice is an official timed session that is an important session affecting qualification advancement.

23. Pocket Bike

    A small bike for children. Many Riders start their racing careers from here.

24. Homologation Violation

    Machines and parts used in races require prior approval (homologation), and using specifications outside of the approved ones constitutes a violation.

25. Honda Team Asia

    A young rider development team operated by Honda that sends Asian riders to Moto3™ and Moto2™. The official team name is 'Idemitsu Honda Team Asia'