Let's talk MotoGP: Japan (finally) finds a champion, but not everything has been said about him

Fifteen years after Hiroshi Aoyama in 250cc, Japan has a new motorcycle Grand Prix champion. Thanks to another second place, Ai Ogura wins this 2 Moto2024 campaign, which further legitimizes his accession to the MotoGP category. At Aprilia Trackhouse Racing, he will proudly defend the colors of his country. However, the task looks difficult. Analysis.

A beautiful champion

 

Now you know: Not all champions are equal, just as not all victories are equal.. Is Ai Ogura a good champion? In my opinion, yes, for several reasons. Firstly, because he was able to triumph in an extremely tough competition in Moto2. Given that the replacement rate in the premier class is very low (two rookies in the last two seasons), talent is accumulating in the intermediate class. In fact, we are witnessing the emergence of very fast drivers, strong in all circumstances, and above all, who have experience. As proof, nine different drivers have won at least one race.. And among them, Ogura.

 

 

So, he may not be the fastest, I grant you that. But his three victories were valiant, not to mention that he was unable to start the Austrian Grand Prix. Behind him, Aron Canet, Fermin Aldeguer and others like Sergio Garcia were pushing hard… but for now, no one has more than three wins like him! Moreover, no one has managed to maintain his consistency in performance. He has only finished outside the top 8 once, which is quite remarkable in a quasi-one-make category like Moto2. His greatness has only been underlined by the fierceness of the competition.

Second, he has come a long way. Remember: Ogura was already playing in the championship in 2022, this time against the no less formidable Augusto Fernandez. He had the cards in hand after Australia, but had made that unforgivable mistake in Sepang, which cost him the title. All his hopes collapsed in an instant.. At the time, I legitimately asked if a driver could come back from such disillusionment. The Japanese confirmed that yes, but only thanks to remarkable mental strength. This makes him a fine champion.

 

 

A challenge ahead

 

Accession in MotoGP will be tough, for him as for the other rookies. Ogura, next year, will have to deal with the Aprilia RS-GP of the Trackhouse Racing team alongside Raul Fernandez. Can he succeed? He has the talent, that's for sure, but for now, I don't see Ogura as a rider capable of shocking the motorcycling world in the premier class..

It's more of a matter of impression, and therefore, very subjective, but Ai Ogura doesn't leave me with the same impression as a Pedro Acosta or even a Fermin Aldeguer. It's special, especially because the Spaniard has made a lot of mistakes this season, but it can't be explained. On the handlebars, he simply impresses me less than a Canet, or a Lopez. He's very good and can succeed, of course, but he's not an exceptional champion in the first sense of the term either.

Add to that the question of equipment and the task will not be easy. The Aprilia is a good bike, yes, but 2025 already looks like a transition season, with two new riders in the factory team, and the arrival of a new technical director in the person of Fabiano Sterlacchini. The Noale firm has some recurring problems, like the loss of momentum that is felt every season when the overseas tour comes around. I think the situation is comparable to that of Augusto Fernandez in 2023, in a satellite team of an established but improvable manufacturer. His move to MotoGP will therefore be a real challenge, let's hope he succeeds in this transition which has proven to be quite difficult – at least in the early days – in recent years for a majority of pilots.

 

 

Kalex finally beaten!

 

It had been since 2012 and Marc Marquez's Suter that Kalex had not been beaten in Moto2! This season, the chassis to have was the Boscoscuro, and it wasn't even the Speed ​​Up team's that won. This diversity is good for the intermediate category, which in its early days rewarded the experiences of some mechanical geniuses. Good news, even if this relative domination is weighed down by the absence of a KTM Ajo rider at the forefront. Aki and his troops had won the last three championships to date, but this time they didn't have the weapons to fight, not even a disappointing Celestino Vietti.

What do you think about Ai Ogura's world title? Tell me in the comments!

As a reminder, this article only reflects the thoughts of its author, and not of the entire editorial team.

 

 

Cover photo: MT Helmets MSi/Ai Ogura