AI OGURA RETURNS TO ACTION IN SPIELBERG AFTER HAND INJURY, TARGETS A NORMAL WEEKEND

Ai Ogura is set to return to MotoGP action at the Austrian Grand Prix at Spielberg after a hand injury forced him to miss races. The Trackhouse-Aprilia rider, who had previously been running in the title fight and was reported to have been as high as second in the standings at one point, has been away from competition for several weeks. His most recent Grand Prix appearance came at Silverstone, and the injury itself was picked up during motocross training.

Ahead of the weekend in Styria, the 25-year-old said he feels in a better place than he expected just days earlier. “I feel good. I believe the condition of my hand is better than I expected a week ago. Of course I’m looking forward to being back. I just want to start the weekend, see what’s possible and how it goes. Nothing special—I just want a normal weekend,” Ogura said.

Ogura also reflected on his past experiences at Spielberg, where he has strong memories from his time in Moto2. In 2022, he won the Moto2 race at the Red Bull Ring riding for Idemitsu Honda, the team supported by Hiroshi Aoyama. “In the past, especially in my Moto2 years, the layout suited me very well,” Ogura recalled. “I could easily put in good lap times. But last year the situation was a bit more complicated and I had quite a lot of difficulties there. I hope it goes better this time, but that’s just how it is.”

With his comeback underway, Ogura also spoke about his Trackhouse teammate Raul Fernandez. The pair shared a Moto2 podium in Spielberg back in 2021, and Ogura believes Fernandez is currently in strong form. “Raul is in good shape. He’s making a strong impression right now. He definitely has the potential to fight for front positions—maybe for me it’s a bit different. I missed two races and I need some time to get full confidence back in the bike. Coming back from an injury and going straight to the podium in the comeback race isn’t an easy task; so I expect Raul to have a good race, and honestly for myself I don’t expect that,” Ogura said.

In terms of what he will be looking for at the Red Bull Ring, Ogura suggested that performance depends on multiple variables rather than a single standout strength. When asked what matters most on the track, he said: “It depends. Whether you’re strong under braking or you carry a lot of corner speed—there are many factors. As a rider you always enjoy it when you’re really strong on a circuit. It also depends on the year and on the specific session. It’s hard to say.”

After Austria, Ogura’s schedule moves quickly to Japan for the next round at Motegi. He acknowledged that the situation is not exactly what he and the team would have wanted, but he sees Austria as a chance to build momentum before heading home. “As I said, the situation isn’t like we would have liked, but it’s good that I can at least try to ride in Austria before going to Japan. So I hope to get a good feeling in Austria and then be back at almost 100% in Motegi. That’s the goal for now. I just want to have good races—both in Austria and afterwards,” he added.

The standings context underlines the pressure of Ogura’s return. He is currently reported to be sixth in the championship, with a four-point advantage over his teammate, while he sits six points behind Pedro Acosta, who has been described as having recently regained momentum. Despite the gap to the top, Ogura is still 71 points away from the lead.