Davide Brivio backs MotoGP’s next star despite “missed open goal” criticism

Davide Brivio was left beaming after Ai Ogura captured the Moto2 championship.

The Trackhouse boss will welcome Ogura into MotoGP for his rookie season in 2025, having committed to a contract earlier this year.

Ogura is now guaranteed to enter the premier class as a world champion after wrapping up the title in Thailand.

“We are very excited, we are looking forward to getting him into the team,” Brivio said.

“We have followed his season and it has been great.

“We like his attitude - he never gives up, and he tries to push.

“The race [in Thailand last weekend] was a big demonstration of what he is. “He dropped back a few positions, but he didn’t give up, he tried to recover, and although fifth position was enough, he tried hard to win the race. I really liked it.

“In the last laps when it started to rain, he was so aggressive.

“He never gave up but was intelligent enough to stop when it rained, when it was too risky.

“This race was a good summary of his qualities.

“We are happy, he did a good job this season. He had an injury but didn’t give up in the difficult moments.

“We hope that we will be able to keep his career going up.”

Ogura finished second in Thailand, enough to claim the Moto2 championship.

“Honestly, since we signed the contract and we agreed, we haven’t had so much contact,” Brivio said.

“We wanted him to focus on the Moto2 championship which, for Ai, was important.

“In the middle of the season he said ‘I have to win, no matter what’.

“We wanted him to focus on his main job. Now, we will have time to talk more deeply.

“This is another quality, again. He was focused and concentrated on what he has to do.

“He wasn’t distracted by going to MotoGP.”

Aron Canet, Sergio Garcia and Fermin Aldeguer (who has landed the Gresini MotoGP ride next year) were left trailing in the Moto2 championship by Ogura.

Ogura’s speed was also enough to end talk around Joe Roberts becoming an American rider for the US-backed Trackhouse team.

Earlier this season, with Roberts in-form, TNT Sports’ Neil Hodgson wondered: “I would put Ogura in front of him for overall speed. But when you think about the commercial aspect, in general?

“Especially for Trackhouse, an American team trying to do it a bit differently, they are going to work on social media to grow the sport.

“I feel like they’ve missed an open goal!”

Ogura has answered those questions now and has MotoGP veteran Brivio in his corner.