P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Ai Ogura’s instant success suggests MotoGP teams ought to pay more attention to riders who’ve been in Moto2 for a while. Here’s our pick of five worth a look
Ai Ogura made his MotoGP debut in the 2025 season opener, landing a spot with Trackhouse Aprilia after potential offers from LCR Honda. Despite his success at the Thailand Grand Prix, MotoGP teams were not actively pursuing him due to Moto2 riders falling out of favor in the premier class. Ogura’s experience in Moto2 exceeds that of recent champions, but his out-of-the-box performance as a 24-year-old rookie has been impressive with over 70 intermediate-class starts.
Looking ahead, there are other Moto2 riders with similar profiles who could catch the eye of MotoGP teams. Aron Canet, at 25 with 87 Moto2 starts, faces challenges in securing a premier-class spot despite his MotoGP-like paddock experience. Manu Gonzalez, 22 with 61 Moto2 starts, has shown promise after transitioning from World Superbike and could be likened to riders who successfully moved up to MotoGP from feeder series.
Alonso Lopez, 23 with 59 Moto2 starts, has garnered interest from Yamaha for his solid performances in the class, potentially following the path of successful Moto3 graduates. These riders demonstrate that age and experience in Moto2 may not necessarily hinder a successful transition to MotoGP, opening up possibilities for talented individuals beyond the usual recruitment norms.
