Ai Ogura’s stunning maiden MotoGP victory at Assen last weekend — plus a Yamaha deal — marks the arrival of a fresh and little-known hero. He reveals how he got here in an exclusive interview.
The man who last weekend beat outpaced Marc Márquez, outraced Jorge Martin, and left Raul Fernández in his wheeltracks to become the first Japanese MotoGP winner for 22 years may owe it all to his very first rival.
In fact, Ai Ogura credits his first concept of competition to his long-term foe: Karen, his older sister of two years, who raced with her brother from a young age. “She was faster than me, so she pushed me. I think if she didn’t race, then I would not be like I am today,” says Ogura, before quickly adding “We are completely different characters”, as if the rivalry is still active.
