By Adam Wheeler. Photos by MotoGP.com
Ai Ogura leans back in his chair. He looks reluctant: is this another interview about Aprilia, his astonishing second year in the MotoGP class, his decision to leave the burgeoning SuperFile Trackhouse team for a floundering Yamaha project? There is also the prospect of the on-the-record discourse in his second language; Ai’s English is great but his calm, introverted demeanour means that he thinks carefully before he talks, picking and choosing the right words. His discourse is almost systematic, a little like his understated but fluid and incredibly efficient and economic riding style.
By saying I want to chat about his background instead his eyes widen. It’s a tact I learned in 2025 when we made an interview largely based around his passion for motocross. It was a way to tap into how he rides a motorcycle, and what he takes from his love of off-road to apply to the day-job. A leftfield approach sparked his interest. Today, at one point, he exasperatedly says: “I really like these kinds of interviews, and I know exactly what I want to say in Japanese…but I cannot find it in English!”
It’s fair to say that a lot of people want to know more about Ai. He’s a Moto2 World Champion but his rookie MotoGP season in 2025 was unspectacular, if encouraging in spells, and blighted with injury. In 2026 he has been arguably the series’ most fascinating figure. Ogura has posted four podiums finishes, a maiden victory in the Netherlands (just the seventh of his career in all classes) and has yet to cross the line outside the top five from twelve rounds (he suffered a technical DNF in the USA, was penalised with a 3-position demotion in Catalunya for tagging Pedro Acosta in the final corner and his crash out of podium contention at Silverstone two weeks ago was the first major slip of the campaign). He has frequently outshone teammate Raul Fernandez even though the Spaniard has two more terms of experience with the RS-GP and three more in the class in total.
Ogura’s Grand Prix origins have been peddled across MotoGP channels this year: his rise from pocketbike to the Asia Talent Cup and adoption by the Honda Asia programme for Moto3 (he finished 3rd in the championship in his second season in 2020) and then Moto2 (where he pushed Augusto Fernandez all the way to the title in 2022). Ai’s choice to move out of Honda’s gaze after 2023 led to a sensational year with the Spanish MT Helmets MSi team and he won the title in 2024; Japan’s first in the Moto2 era.
At the end of 2024 Ai was one of a raft of world champions attending the FIM Awards ceremony in Mallorca. During the afternoon press call at the FIM hospitality rig, positioned on part of the coastal road in the capital city of Palma, he sat alone, undisturbed, seemingly content, possibly a little bored while the rest of the platform was packed with media talking to various motocross, Rally, Enduro athletes and hankering for time with Jorge Martin and Toprak Razgatlıoğlu. Ai was oblivious to the fuss.
By that point he had already spurned a MotoGP berth and a return to Honda colours for 2025 (the LCR Honda seat went to his friend and former flatmate Somkiat Chantra) and accepted Davide Brivio’s offer to enter Trackhouse. The Italian had done his research and knew that Ogura’s talent came with a zany degree of focus and unwavering commitment to the job.
Ai typically avoids any social media fanfare and fulfils requests from the team or MotoGP Group but does not engage in many other extracurricular activities, outside of some limited-edition merch or custom gear for his home Grand Prix. He’s all about the job.
“To be honest, I knew almost knowing about him, just his name…but I enjoyed watching him ride,” Giovanni Mattarollo, Ai’s Crew Chief at Trackhouse told us during a Paddock Pass Podcast recording at the Grand Prix of Catalunya in May. “When we first met him in Misano - when he was still fighting for the Moto2 title- he was invited into the garage, we didn’t understand anything from him because he didn’t talk or even touch the bike! He was very focused on what he was doing at the time and, when I came to work with him and to know him, I understood this. He thinks about what is important in that moment.”
Mattarollo spoke effusively about his charge. He even felt Ai could be a championship contender on the eve of round seven. It seemed a little far-fetched at the time but proved to be prophetic as Ogura made his way up to 2nd in the points table pre-Silverstone and was the head of press conference duties.
“He is not the guy that makes many journalists talk about him, due to his low profile and how he approaches things… and I don’t think many people understood how hard his first year in MotoGP was with injuries, comeback, loss of confidence,” Gio said. “He might be different to others with his mental approach. He always does 100%, or even more, to do his job in the best way. Like riding at Motegi last year with a broken hand.”
“Ai’s a really hard worker and is always studying what he is doing,” he adds. “At the Sepang test he made more laps than anybody else. He is always focused mostly on himself and what he has. He never puts any doubt on the bike and, if he is struggling, his first question is always ‘what am I doing wrong?’
The technician offers a story that sums up the rider. “We were in Qatar last year and he was going very well. It was before the first injury he had. He found a rider going slow on the line in qualifying. Sometimes we see other riders going mad about things like this and throwing up their hands. He continued to push, did another lap and went into Q2. Then at the end of the qualifying we did a summary, talked about what we’d do and heard his comments. I said to him I appreciated the fact that he kept focused and kept pushing. He then made a statement that gave me one of my best lessons in MotoGP. With the same straight face he always has, he said: ‘emotions just make you slower’”.
Back in the Trackhouse hospitality in Assen, Ai is not betraying too many emotions as we dip into some personal subjects. Slowly, he appears to semi-enjoy unveiling details of his trajectory.
I ask Ai about his family. His sister Karen also used to race and lives close to the family home in Kiyose; a district west of Tokyo. Ai’s Dad is a truck driver and his mother works in admin department of a hospital. When he isn’t at MotoGP, Ogura commutes from Japan and stays with his parents. From 2019 to 2025 he lived in Spain and his last residence was in Castelldefels; the beachside town close to Barcelona and next to the airport. “Spain never felt like home,” he admits.
“When there is a week off between races I go back,” he says. “I train in Japan and spend time in Japan. I live with my Dad and Mum. I have all my training bikes and I can train better there. The level of the riders that you spend time with on a track day is not high, not like it is in Spain, but it’s OK. I just had one motocross bike in Spain and many times I wanted to go to a circuit but it was closed. I couldn’t prepare like I wanted, so that’s why I’m based in Japan.”
“Until now the flights are not disturbing me,” he says matter-of-factly.
What was it like growing up with an older sister who also raced?
We are completely different characters. She was faster than me, so she pushed me. [I think] if she didn’t race then I would not be like I am today. Around pocketbike time she was important because she always went quicker and fought for the victory when I was P5-P6. She was always ahead…and I think it was important for me to have that person in the family. When I moved up to minibike I was better [than her]. It is probably also the last time I raced with her because then we split classes.
How is the family home? Do you have land?
[awkward smile] It’s a normal house. MotoGP Group asked to film something at my home…but I said “no” because it’s not something to show. Yes, it’s private but I don’t care about that…it’s just that it’s not what people might think! It’s not huge, or something to show to the racing fans.
Your Dad must have been another fundamental person in your development. Was he tough on you? What kind of guidance did he give?
My Dad was a racer. When I was really small, pocketbike time, he was like that [tough]. Sometimes he kicked me! When I moved to minibike then he changed completely. He would say nothing to me. Sometimes [at tracks] I would ask: “what should I do?” and he’d say” think for yourself”. It was interesting. He thought it was better for me. To train my brain and be more independent.
How old were you?
Seven…or eight? It was part of his strategy. If you always have a teacher saying to you “do this, this and that” then maybe in the next race you do very well but not ten races later. You have to think for yourself, especially if you get to GPs then you have to be aware. My father explained this to me only four-five years ago, and it is impressive to think he was already believing it was the way when I was so young.
Did you ever miss having a support network?
I was fine. I never joined a school or a team. My first proper team was when I went to JuniorGP! I’d always raced with my family, even if it was difficult for money. The most important thing that my parents gave me was to give me nothing. They kept me ‘hungry’ all the time. I don’t want to say this to sound a certain way…but I never had a new bike, I never had new suits or a new helmet. And that kind of thing makes you a bit stronger, a bit hungry. I feel they gave me that.
Did you race to please your parents? To gain some approval?
Pocketbike time, yes. I just didn’t want my dad to kick me! The biggest target of the day was that one. By minibike this thing had gone.
Were there other distractions as a kid?
I was only serious about motorsports. I liked to play football or basketball with friends in the evenings but it was never serious. The only thing I was serious about was motorcycle racing.
What about the feeling of missing out on other activities?
By middle school I was OK with it because I would always think ‘if was them then I’d be jealous’. So, I said: “OK, I’m here right now [with my career] and I am super-lucky…” and I was fine. I never thought ‘I want to be a normal student guy’ or whatever.
And moving away from home and Japan?
I was completely OK with it.
You don’t have an entourage or a group. There was the Honda Asia set-up…but other than that you seem very understated in MotoGP. We don’t see you elated or very frustrated…
I can think simple. It’s easy. The race is a place to show what you have got and what you can do. If you finish P10 - no matter what - then you are a rider that finished in 10th position. That’s it. I’m ready to accept this and I will be OK. If you are not happy with P10 then you need to work harder. That’s all. I was never [banging the table]
What if P9 was one second ahead? Would you be frustrated?
Frustration, no. Because the guy went one second faster than you. To beat him you need to go 1.1 faster. That’s all. Of course I think ‘how…’ but never [angrily].
When did motorcycle racing get serious for you?
When me and my Dad decided to go for Asia Talent Cup selection. It became very serious. Before then I was just racing and if I crashed I would just crash and nobody would be disappointed but me. When we got to Asia Talent Cup I thought ‘this is not just for me anymore…it’s also for others’.
Could you deal with that pressure?
Absolutely not!
So how did you learn that part?
Time. Experience. Even now sometimes I am not handling it very well. I’ve never thought ‘I’m very good…’ Wait! Yes! Probably when I won the championship because that says you are number one and nobody can say anything about that. Now if you win a race then there are 22. You might win 3. From 22. Hmm. But the championship? Yes.
What were the effects of winning the championship?
Of course, life goes back to normal but it [feeling of the title] stays here for ever [touches chest]. Again, I don’t want to say this because people might go ‘blah, blah’ but when I won the Moto2 title I knew at that time, in that year, I was #1 in the world. This makes me…calm. It makes me OK. It gives me the feeling that I did something. That’s everything to me. Of course, I am fighting for something important again in MotoGP but if something [adverse] happened tomorrow…then I would be OK.
What did you think of the scale of MotoGP? Of the extra scope of the premier class?
Hmmm. How happy I can be is related to how big the stage is. In training, this purely for me to enjoy riding a motorbike. But here? If somebody asked me: “do you enjoy riding here…?” Then, no, not really. I can explain much better in Japanese! Practice: for me to enjoy. Here: for others to enjoy. This is my understanding. Whatever. Next.
At what point did parents say they were proud of you?
You need to ask them. My mum sends me messages. After a good race, she’ll say congratulations…
What is happiness to you?
It’s related to the result. Yes.
It’s that a bit risky. The results can’t always be good…
Then I would be an unhappy guy.
How about the increased level of attention that comes with being successful in MotoGP?
I’m still learning that kind of thing…but I am doing my better than in the past.
What happened in the past?
Asia Talent Cup time was the worst. Every time before the race I was like “this if f**king important, this if f**king important, this if f**king important…” and it made me anxious. But, now it’s quite OK.
Can you feel any fame in Japan?
You can only see it with this [points at phone]. You can’t see it with your eyes or in the street.
Only in Motegi…
In Motegi yeah, but only because they are there to see a race. They know me, of course. But in normal life in my town or in Tokyo, you cannot see anything.
That’s both good and bad…
Yes. In one point is good and one point is bad. Personally, it is fantastic! But for the sport probably not a good thing
Do you feel like you need to do more?
I start to feel [this]. It is also important to do this kind of thing. Not for me. don’t need to be a different person but I need to accept many more things…while being myself. That would be nice.
Excellent interview thank you! Many words of wisdom from someone so young.
It’s a very satisfactory interview about Ai as his Japanese fan! Thanks for sharing, and please do this again with him!