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When Haas made its F1 debut in 2015, many wondered why an American team didn't take the opportunity to promote drivers of the same nationality. That question remained for a while, until the answer came loud and clear from top management that a passport wasn't enough to secure a seat in the Circus.
Now, the same refrain is being repeated in the world of two wheels regarding Trackhouse Racing, a team that's normally active in NASCAR and that decided to enter the MotoGP in 2024 with Aprilia motorcycles. At first, rumors circulated that the team was going to take on California-born Moto2 rider Joe Roberts but, in the end, the bike was given to the Raul Fernandez-Miguel Oliveira pair while, alongside the Spanish rider, Ai Ogurawas was preferred this year.
"There were two possible paths, either let the U.S. character of the idea prevail or take advantage of the opportunity to grow the brand internationally," owner Justin Marks explained to CNN. "In the end, we came to the conclusion that, as nice as it was to celebrate the American-ness of the team, the function was to have the company expand globally. So, we were interested in calling someone to train, someone who capable of growing with us, and who would stay for a long time."
Finding the right name wasn't easy. "If you're looking for a young person to debut, the Moto2 gives you a lot of opportunities. There are so many talented guys, not one that stands out," the manager said.
And choosing blindly is an added difficulty, as team manager Davide Brivio stated. "It's kind of a gamble because you take someone who races in another category, and you don't know how he might perform on a MotoGP bike. You have to trust his future potential. As for Ai, we believed in his abilities and a riding style close to the needs of these bikes. We also appreciated his attitude, resilient, combative, even in difficult times. Then, when he came to us, we were able to discover his calmness. He's a guy who wants to learn, but gradually, taking his time," he concluded.
