Ai Ogura, a young racer who is only 23 years old, is preparing for the toughest role to become the first Japanese racer to win the MotoGP World Championship. Although there has been a large history of triumphs in the Constructors’ Championship and many World titles and Grand Prix victories in the smaller classes, there has not been a single Japanese racer who could win in MotoGP in 75 years.
Ai Ogura’s Challenging Path to MotoGP Stardom
This journey towards such a monumental step was set last week when Trackhouse officially revealed to the world that Ai Ogura was going to be part of their MotoGP team for the next year. But then just three days later he faced a big blow when he crashed and injured his right hand during Saturday morning practice at the Red Bull Ring.
Nevertheless, this injury is still serious Ai Ogura is one of the Moto2 winners, who already has five victories in the championship; in this season, he took two wins in the Moto2 and ranked second in the Moto2 World Championship. But Ai Ogura has his share of trouble on the road that will lead him to MotoGP stardom. Back in the year 2022, he triumphed in three Moto2 races and ranked second in the World Championship. This was marred by injuries that saw him start his debut year in MotoGP even tougher in 2023.
The most recent Japanese rider who tasted a victory in the MotoGP class was Makoto Tamada who scooped victory in the year 2004, at Motegi Racing Honda. After that, many Japanese riders have tried, but none has clinched the championship crown. The last Japanese rider who finished on the MotoGP podium was Katsuyuki Nakasuga when he came second at Valencia in 2012.
The last Japanese rider to score pole position was Takaaki Nakagami, who works for LCR Honda and recently finished at the 14th position in Austria. Japanese riders have had a rich history in MotoGP™, but the championship title has yet to be conquered.
Japan’s Pursuit of MotoGP Glory
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The nearest any Japanese rider got to tasting the title was in 1997 when Tadayuki Okada was placed second in the 500cc World Championship, behind his team-mate, Mick Doohan of Repsol Honda. Okada made the podium 21 times, with four Grand Prix wins, but because his timing was slightly off during Doohan’s run at the crown, he never became a champion.
Another legend from Japan was Norick Abe, who scored three 500cc Grand Prix wins for Yamaha out of which two were at Suzuka. Toru Ukawa also distinguished himself; he beat Valentino Rossi at Welkom in South Africa in the 2002 Grand Prix and ranked third in the Championship of that year.
A New Chapter for Ai Ogura
The brightest Japanese prospect for MotoGP was Daijiro Kato He claimed 11 Grand Prix victories on his way to the the 2001 250cc World Champion. Unfortunately, Kato’s racing career was shortened when he died in the 2003 season-opening race at Suzuka thus creating a big gap in the history of Japanese motor racing.
Now, Ai Ogura is on for the biggest test that lies in his journey to MotoGP. Racing on European machinery, specifically Aprilia, he is the first Japanese rider to start and score points in the 500cc class as far back as 1960, Fumio Itoh. When Ogura starts his journey to change histories he has the entire nation’s expectations of MotoGP victory in his back.
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