Yamaha has signed Ai Ogura, the 2024 Moto2 world champion and current Trackhouse Racing rider, to join its factory MotoGP team in 2027 alongside Jorge Martin, the 2024 MotoGP champion, replacing MotoGP rider Alex Rins.
Ogura impressed in his rookie MotoGP campaign with a fifth-place debut at Buriram and further top-five finishes in 2026 before a mechanical issue at Austin; he developed within Honda’s system and won the Moto2 title on a Boscoscuro run by MT Helmets.
The signing completes Yamaha’s factory line-up and Motorsport reported it ends consideration of other candidates such as Luca Marini, with Yamaha informing the Marini camp and Dani Holgado confirming a move to Gresini Racing on a Ducati.
Ogura’s move creates a vacancy at Trackhouse Racing, which Justin Marks leads, and Motorsport said the team will need to fill the seat amid a closing rider market while announcements await agreement between the Motorcycle Sports Manufacturers Association and MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group.
This summary is based on coverage by Motorsport.
Read the full article at Motorsport.
More automotive news: Latest car news