Dress code: Ai Ogura and MotoGP management visit Japan’s sports authority

The Japanese Grand Prix in the Motorcycle World Championship has a long tradition. As far back as the 1960s, no expense or effort was spared to host international races in Japan. Since 1963, it has been a regular fixture on the World Championship calendar – with the exception of the Covid-19 pandemic, when MotoGP was not held there for two years.

Before and since then, the elite of motorcycling have gathered exclusively at Motegi since 2004. The reason was a sad one. The death of World Champion Daijiro Kato at Suzuka in 2003 also marked the end of the legendary circuit as a MotoGP venue. In 2024, things got off to a flying start at the Mobility Resort Motegi. Honda MotoGP rider Makoto Tamada claimed victory on home soil – a feat no other Japanese rider has managed to this day.

Inevitably, the Japanese rider is one of the favourites at Motegi

Expectations are correspondingly high for Trackhouse rider Ai Ogura. Just in time for the crucial event at Motegi, Ogura made a more than impressive return from injury by finishing fourth at the Austrian Grand Prix. The Japanese fans’ hopes are also fuelled by the fact that Ogura has already won at Motegi – in 2022 in the middleweight World Championship class.

In the run-up to the Japanese Grand Prix, the co-favourite had an unusually formal engagement. Together with MotoGP’s chief executive, Carlos Ezpeleta, he travelled to the national sports authority in Japan’s capital. The aim of the meeting was to foster relations and discuss mutual plans for the future.

Carlos Ezpeleta und Ai Ogura in Tokio

Foto: motogp.com

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Ezpeleta and Ogura also met with Naoko Hirayama, an adviser to the Japanese sports agency, to discuss the significance of the Japanese Grand Prix, MotoGP’s contribution to international sport and tourism, and the positive impact of motorsport on local communities.

Hirayama: “The history of MotoGP and motor sport in Japan is extremely rich, and we are proud to host the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi. It was an honour to welcome Carlos Ezpeleta and Ai Ogura to Tokyo to discuss how we can build on MotoGP’s strong foundations in Japan and further develop the sport for future generations. Ai is one of Japan’s leading sportsmen, and we wish him every success at his home race this weekend.”

The Deputy Managing Director of MotoGP also spoke in Tokyo. Carlos Ezpeleta: “Japan holds a special place in the history and future of MotoGP. It is home to some of the sport’s most legendary manufacturers, boasts a passionate fan base and a remarkable racing tradition that continues to shape our championship. We are proud to return to Motegi this weekend, and we welcome the support of the Japanese Sports Agency and the Japanese Government as a whole, as we work together to further develop the sport and deliver world-class events to fans across the country.”

From Cup rider to the Japanese people’s MotoGP hero

The Spaniard emphasised: “It is also particularly exciting to be here with Ai following his historic successes this season. They demonstrate his exceptional talent – but also the success of development programmes such as the Idemitsu Moto4 Asia Cup.”

In early 2026, Ogura became the first graduate of the MotoGP Moto4 Asia Cup to secure a podium finish in MotoGP – he came third at Le Mans – before going on to win a MotoGP race at Assen, becoming the first Japanese rider since Tamada to do so.

The rider, who returned home in sixth place in the World Championship standings, appreciated the invitation and spoke in greater detail than he often does about the course of a race: “I am delighted by this interest from our government and appreciate Carlos’s efforts. I think we need to take a first step in Japanese motorsport, which is what we’ve done today. I believe it was important for Japanese sport and MotoGP to exchange ideas and information. I hope we can continue along this path and raise the profile of motorsport across the country. I believe it would be brilliant if people like Mr Hirayama were to attend the race weekend in future. I’m looking forward to arriving in Motegi myself and seeing all the fans there.”