Some factory team will come after Ogura

Trackhouse Aprilia team principal Davide Brivio believes Ai Ogura’s strong debut in the premier class has sparked interest from rival MotoGP teams keen to sign him once his contract expires.

In the five grands prix held so far, Ogura has only finished outside the top 10 once (in Qatar), placing him eighth in the overall standings. That’s just ahead of Marco Bezzecchi, who has led Aprilia’s factory effort in the absence of Jorge Martin.

“Honestly, I believed Ai could do well – that’s why we signed him,” said Brivio in an exclusive call with Autosport. “But he has surprised even us.”

Brivio, who was central to the Japanese rider’s step up from Moto2 to MotoGP with the satellite Aprilia squad, added: “For 2027, it’s clear that some factory team will come after him. But we’ll have to see what options arise then.

“Ai is a guy who listens a lot, learns quickly and knows what he wants – he doesn’t waste time on things that don’t matter.”

Both Ogura and team-mate Raul Fernandez are contracted directly to Trackhouse, with Aprilia not contributing to their salaries. Their deals run through 2026, just before the new technical regulations come into effect. If any team wants to sign Ogura before then, it will have to pay the buyout clause specified in his contract.

Autosport understands that Trackhouse intends for Fernandez to fulfil his contract – provided his thus far disappointing performances improve over the next three months.

“We thought that Raul, being in his fourth MotoGP season, would be our benchmark,” said Brivio. “But that hasn’t been the case so far.”

One of Brivio’s most renowned traits is his sharp instinct – something proven throughout his successful career in MotoGP, in which he played a key role in Yamaha’s golden era alongside Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo.

He later spearheaded Suzuki’s return to the championship and led it to a world title with Joan Mir in 2020, before switching disciplines to become Alpine’s sporting director in Formula 1. Brivio’s latest coup is Ogura, the reigning Moto2 world champion, whom he managed to sign in a move nobody in the paddock saw coming.

While many thought Joe Roberts was the ideal candidate for the American team, Brivio convinced Ogura – who had been struggling with Honda – to join Trackhouse for 2025.

Brivio’s eye for talent was validated at the very first race in Thailand. Ogura finished fifth, the top Aprilia rider in a debut that earned praise throughout the paddock.

Ogura’s results form a stark contrast to the struggles of Fernandez, who sits near the bottom of the standings. The Spaniard’s best finish has been a 12th place in Austin.

Meanwhile, the ever-honest Ogura is keeping his own expectations for this weekend’s French Grand Prix in check.

“Le Mans is, honestly, not my favourite circuit – it was always quite difficult for me there,” admitted Ogura. “But, last year, I was riding well on Sunday in the Moto2 race and I think, if I can understand each sector well, that is very important for the lap time and I believe I can be quite competitive.”