News Summary
- Ai Ogura rejected Honda’s offer to join MotoGP in 2024, admitting that he did not feel ready for the premier class.
- The Japanese rider wanted to win a world championship first and subsequently secured the 2024 Moto2 title.
- Ogura became Japan’s first MotoGP race winner since 2004 and will join Yamaha’s factory team alongside Jorge Martín in 2027.
Ai Ogura has revealed that he rejected the opportunity to join MotoGP with Honda in 2024 because he did not feel ready for the premier class, explaining that his priority was to secure a world championship before making the step up.
The Japanese rider had progressed through Honda’s development structure, beginning in the Asia Talent Cup before competing for Honda Team Asia in Moto3 and Moto2. A promotion to LCR Honda appeared possible for 2024, but Ogura instead decided to remain in the intermediate category and subsequently moved to MT Helmets-MSI.
The decision changed the direction of his career. Ogura won the 2024 Moto2 World Championship, joined Trackhouse Aprilia for his MotoGP debut in 2025 and became Japan’s first premier-class Grand Prix winner since 2004 with victory at Assen earlier this season.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Crash.net during the Indonesian Grand Prix weekend, Ogura explained the reasons behind his decision.
“I said no to Honda because I wasn’t ready for MotoGP,” he said.
“Also, I want to have one title before going to MotoGP; there are two biggest reasons.”
Ogura explains why he refused Honda promotion
Ogura’s decision came at a time when Honda was searching for young riders capable of strengthening its MotoGP programme.
The Japanese manufacturer had followed his progress through the junior categories and considered him a natural candidate for a promotion to LCR, its satellite team.
However, Ogura believed that moving directly into MotoGP would have been premature.
He had finished runner-up in the 2022 Moto2 championship but endured a more difficult 2023 season, affected by injuries and inconsistent results.
Rather than accept the opportunity, he decided to remain in Moto2 and pursue the title he felt was missing from his career.
The move to MT Helmets-MSI proved decisive. Ogura won the championship in 2024, becoming the first Japanese rider to secure the Moto2 title since Hiroshi Aoyama won the final 250cc world championship in 2009.
Ogura explained that he had not developed a detailed long-term plan that would eventually lead him to Aprilia and Yamaha.
Instead, he made decisions based on the opportunities and circumstances available at each stage.
“I just made a decision which I felt was best at the situation,” he said, explaining that results influence the offers riders receive and make it difficult to plan several seasons in advance.
The Japanese rider also rejected the suggestion that he regretted turning down Honda.
He said he was satisfied with the decision and saw little value in revisiting choices that could no longer be changed.
Aprilia move leads to historic Dutch GP victory
Ogura’s decision to remain in Moto2 ultimately opened a different route into MotoGP.
After winning the 2024 championship, he joined Trackhouse Racing, becoming part of Aprilia’s satellite operation alongside Raúl Fernández.
The move allowed him to begin his premier-class career on an RS-GP rather than Honda machinery, with the Italian manufacturer providing a competitive technical platform.
Ogura demonstrated promising speed during his rookie season, although injuries and adaptation difficulties prevented him from consistently challenging near the front.
His breakthrough came at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix, where he secured his first MotoGP victory and ended a 22-year wait for a Japanese winner in the premier class.
The previous Japanese rider to win a top-class Grand Prix had been Makoto Tamada at Valencia in 2004.
The achievement represented a major milestone for Ogura and reinforced his reputation as one of the most promising riders of the new MotoGP generation.
His success also attracted attention from manufacturers preparing for the championship’s new technical regulations.
Ogura prepares historic Yamaha factory move for 2027
Ogura will leave Trackhouse at the end of 2026 to join Yamaha’s factory MotoGP team alongside Jorge Martín, replacing the outgoing Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins.
The move represents another significant stage in his career, making him the first Japanese rider to compete for a Japanese factory team in the premier class since Shinya Nakano raced for Kawasaki in 2006.
Yamaha has struggled to remain competitive in recent seasons and has not won a MotoGP Grand Prix since Quartararo’s victory at the 2022 German Grand Prix.
The manufacturer is preparing a new 850cc motorcycle for 2027, when the championship will introduce revised engine regulations, reduced aerodynamics and Pirelli tyres.
Ogura acknowledged the importance of representing a Japanese manufacturer, particularly for supporters in his home country.
However, he insisted that his responsibilities would remain focused on riding and technical feedback rather than the symbolic significance of the move.
“My job is to do my 100% on the bike and give my comments to them,” he said.
He explained that Yamaha would be responsible for deciding how to use his feedback during development.
The move also means Ogura will leave a Trackhouse team that had originally expected to retain him.
As GRANDE PRÊMIO examined in its 2027 MotoGP grid analysis, Yamaha’s decision to sign Martín and Ogura forms part of a major reshuffle ahead of the new technical era.
Honda prepares different future after Ogura’s rejection
Ogura’s decision to reject Honda in 2023 has become particularly relevant as the Japanese manufacturer prepares its own rider line-up for 2027.
Honda has secured agreements with Quartararo, Diogo Moreira, David Alonso and Johann Zarco, although the final allocation between its factory team and LCR remains subject to official confirmation.
According to recent reports, Honda is set to promote Moreira alongside Quartararo, while Alonso is expected to begin his MotoGP career with LCR.
The manufacturer has continued rebuilding its technical operation following several difficult seasons, with the 2027 regulations providing an opportunity to develop a new motorcycle.
Ogura, meanwhile, will attempt to help Yamaha return to winning form after completing his second MotoGP season with Trackhouse.
The championship returns at the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island on October 23–25, where Ogura will continue his 2026 campaign before preparing for the factory Yamaha move.
