Nearly 22 years. That’s how long Japan had to wait before seeing a rider from the Land of the Rising Sun stand on the top step of the MotoGP podium. And that rider is Ai Ogura, who joins Makoto Tamada on the list of Japanese riders capable of winning in the top class. Ogura’s victory, however, is different from Tamada’s, because the Trackhouse rider is proving, race after race, that he can hold his own in the world championship.
With this victory, in fact, Ogura has moved to just 25 points behind Martín, the current championship leader. With impressive consistency and a string of positive results dating back to Barcelona, the Japanese rider must be considered a genuine contender for the 2026 world title. At the post-Grand Prix press conference, he once again proved to be anything but talkative. But when a rider performs so well on the track, he can undoubtedly afford to be brief off it.
“I don’t have much to say; I’m happy. Tamada did it a long time ago. I was simply overjoyed when I crossed the finish line; after finishing second three times, I finally did it. The race was tough but beautiful, with some great passes. I hope the Japanese fans enjoyed it.”
At one point, it looked like you were having a problem with the bike.
“I was worried about that. In the end, we had 26 laps today, and I only had that problem once during a single lap—I didn’t understand what was happening. But then the rear device activated again between turns 1 and 3. In the race, during the first few laps, I honestly didn’t expect to lose so many positions—or so much time. But then I didn't lose so much time luckily."
How did you feel at the finish line?
"At that moment, I was happy, I’d say! I was simply celebrating my first MotoGP victory—a great sense of satisfaction."
When did you realize you could win a GP for the first time?
"I first thought about it at Brno."
In Moto2, once you broke through, you started dominating. Do you feel that way today, too?
"I’ve started to understand what my strength is in MotoGP, but I don’t see myself that way yet."
Was today’s victory what you imagined it would be—the excitement, the adrenaline?
"That’s a tough question. I never really imagined winning, but I’d say I more or less expected it to be like this."
Do you feel like a title contender?
"With a 25-point gap, I’m one of the contenders. I certainly like being considered a contender."
In your opinion, what caused Bezzecchi’s crash—an aerodynamic issue?
"I didn’t have any aerodynamic issues; I want to watch Marco’s video to figure out what happened."
The standings are very tight in the World Championship—how many riders do you think can actually win it?
"I think there are seven riders who can win the title; that’s what the numbers show today."