An authentic character
In a historical period in which MotoGP desperately needs characters who bring the public – especially the more ‘generalist’ one – closer to this sport and in which one of the main commercial targets is to expand beyond the markets of Spain and Italy, which have monopolized the World Championship for almost 30 years, the arrival of Ai Ogura could represent the gold nugget that suddenly appears.
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The Japanese rider from Trackhouse has undoubtedly been the absolute surprise of this first half of the season. He is fast, talented, has already won a race this year and is incredibly in second place in the world championship standings, with real chances of staying in the fight for the World Championship until the last races of the season. And then – which is not bad in 2026 – he stands out on screen. Not in an artificial or constructed way, but with his genuineness.
This guy is a damn star both on and off the track, a shame that the Clown of X MotoGP is starting to support him.
pic.twitter.com/j5YvyUFxiD— MotoGP addicted (@motogpaddicted) July 14, 2026
Bag, please
In these hours on the social network X a hilarious exchange of words that Ogura had at the end of the German GP with colleagues from the Spanish TV DAZN is going viral. A mix of nonsense and spontaneity that seems exactly the kind of lightness needed in today’s MotoGP. Many, even inside the paddock, criticize today’s riders for lacking a well-defined and recognizable personality. Certainly, Ogura seems instead to escape any standardization.
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Below is the translation of the back-and-forth between the Japanese rider and the journalist, in a ‘discussion’ entirely focused on the Spanish language and… supermarkets!
Interviewer: “Ai, don’t you say anything in Spanish? Something, right? Because you lived in Barcelona.”
Ogura: “Nothing that can be said in front of a camera, no.”
Interviewer: “But when you go to a supermarket?”.
Ogura: “Bolsa, por favor.” [“A bag, please”].
Interviewer: “Ah… that’s important, otherwise they don’t understand you.”
Ogura: “Yes, ‘Bolsa por favor’ is super important.”
Interviewer: “Otherwise, you have to carry everything in your hands.”
Ogura: “Exactly.”
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