Ai came, Ai saw, Ai conquered: a podium in Thailand sees the Japanese rider secure the crown
Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) is the 2024 Moto2™ World Champion! The Japanese star took second place at the PT Grand Prix of Thailand to seal the crown, becoming the first former Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup rider to become a World Champion and the first rider from Japan to win a world title since Hiroshi Aoyama’s 250cc triumph in 2009.
The #79’s journey to Moto2™ World Champion status began in the ATC back in 2015, and it didn’t take long for a first win to arrive. Three podiums – including that win – were achieved in his first ATC season and in 2016, three more wins were pocketed on his way to a P2 overall finish. 2016 also saw Ogura race in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and in just his third race, the Japanese rider notched up a P3 finish.
2017 brought more success as Ogura claimed two wins in the Rookies Cup and a debut win in the JuniorGP™ World Championship. In 2018, Ogura continued in the JuniorGP™ class and racked up a further five podiums, one of which was a victory, which helped Ogura finish fifth overall.
2018 also saw Ogura make his World Championship debut in Jerez – and it was an impressive one too. A first Moto3™ point was earned and after making three more appearances on the world stage that year, a full-time World Championship ride beckoned for the 2019 campaign with Honda Team Asia.
In his first full season as a Grand Prix rider, Ogura collected nine top 10 results, including a second place finish in Aragon, on his way to P10 in the standings. That signalled a strong start to life as a World Championship rider, and in 2020, Ogura was a title contender. Despite not winning a race, consistency was key for the Japanese star. Seven podiums saw Ogura finish third in the Championship, as a move up to Moto2™ awaited.
Promoted through the Idemitsu Honda Team Asia ranks, Ogura didn’t take long to gel with a Moto2™ bike. After pocketing six top seven finishes in his first 10 intermediate class races, Ogura’s maiden Moto2™ rostrum was bagged at the Austrian GP with a P2 and having secured a P8 Championship finish in his first season, Ogura went into 2022 as a serious title contender.
And that’s exactly how it played out. Ogura’s first Moto2™ win came in Jerez, with two more following in Austria and Japan. Unfortunately, a disappointing final three races – including a crash out of P2 on the last lap in Malaysia – saw Ogura narrowly miss out on the title to Augusto Fernandez.
Ogura’s 2023 campaign was curtailed before a wheel had been turned in anger when a pre-season training crash resulted in a broken wrist. That caused Ogura to miss the opening two rounds of the season, and it was an injury that plagued him for a number of months. Three podiums were still enjoyed by the Japanese rider, but another title charge was out of the equation and ahead of going again in 2024, a new challenge was on the horizon.
A switch from Idemitsu Honda Team Asia and Kalex machinery to an MT Helmets – MSI and Boscoscuro combination was a big change. However, now fully fit and firing on all cylinders, Ogura’s season started well with a P4, P5, P7, P6 run up to the French GP. In Le Mans, he was back on the podium in second and at the following race in Barcelona, Ogura’s first win with his new outfit arrived. Two more wins in Assen and at the San Marino GP cemented Ogura’s name as one of the main title candidates, and back-to-back P2s in Indonesia and on home turf in Japan, while his main Championship rivals slipped up, put Ogura in a commanding position – 60 points clear to be exact – ahead of a date with Phillip Island.
There, he took another solid P4 as he kept cool under pressure, not converting his first match point but setting himself up for glory at the Thai GP. After fighting his way up to second place, the changing weather then brought the race to an early end – and with full points awarded. Those 20 more ensure the #79 is the 2024 Moto2™ World Champion – from the ATC to the top of the world!
