Davide Brivio talks “theory” behind Ai Ogura Trackhouse MotoGP signing

Ai Ogura’s signing for the Trackhouse Aprilia MotoGP team for the 2025 season has been one of the major news items of the 2024 Austrian MotoGP weekend so far.

The Japanese rider has grown up throughout his racing career since 2015 under the HRC umbrella, from the Asia Talent Cup in 2015 until now in Moto2, but he will leave it for Aprilia next year.

Trackhouse Racing team principal Davide Brivio explains that the team’s perception of Ogura’s was central to its decision to sign the 23-year-old Japanese rider.

“We think he is a great talent, and I think he is one of the most talented riders in Moto2,” Brivio explained to MotoGP.com. “We think it’s the right time for him to move to MotoGP.”

Brivio also talked about Ogura’s riding style. Ogura has always stood out for his sideways approach to corner entry.

“We think his riding style is interesting looking at the MotoGP,” Brivio said, “but we will see when he goes on the [MotoGP] bike. You have to take this decision based more on feeling, on judgements. But we really think he has a good potential to be a good MotoGP rider.”

However, Brivio admitted that nothing is certain, and that any ideas about Ogura’s potential when it comes to MotoGP is purely theoretical until he first rides the RS-GP.

“It’s just an idea, as I said,” Brivio explained. “It’s all theory here, okay? Because of course we didn’t see him on [a MotoGP] bike, but we can see that it’s quite close to what is required to be in MotoGP.

“This doesn’t come from me, it comes also from— we have people looking. We put everything in perspective, his talent, his young age, the potential of his riding style, and we decided to invest in him.”

With Raul Fernandez confirmed to be staying with Trackhouse over the summer break, the American-owned team’s second-year line-up is secure.

“Having confirmed Raul, 24-years-old, we wanted to kind of refresh the project [with the second rider] and have another young rider with him trying to build up something,” Brivio said. “We’re working on a project, trying to build up a team, a legacy, so it’s an opportunity to refresh the project, and look forward to the future, hopefully.”

Having two young riders does not mean that the satellite Aprilia squad is hoping to play a ‘junior team’ role, and be solely a launchpad for riders to head off to factory teams, though.

“To be honest, we hope to keep the riders for our team, not to make them step up to a factory team,” Brivio said. “I know that’s a big challenge, we all know, we are very much aware. But, as I said, we are building a project with Trackhouse.

“This is the first year for Trackhouse, we always say it’s a kind of ‘learning year’, we have to make experience, to make Trackhouse understand the MotoGP, and then the next two years will be two years where we try to grow up and to create a good base as a team.

“So, that’s why I think it makes sense: two young riders, the team has to grow up, learn, improve, so all together the project is going forward.

“Then, I think if we are able to create a great team, a good atmosphere, maybe we make the riders happy to stay.”