The candidates: Who joins Trackhouse if Ai Ogura leaves?
Ai Ogura’s reported departure from Trackhouse opens up one of MotoGP’s top Independent seats for 2027.
News that Ai Ogura is set to join the factory Yamaha MotoGP team alongside Jorge Martin next opens up an Aprilia seat at Trackhouse.
Although nothing can be taken for granted in the new 850cc/Pirelli era, Aprilia is currently riding a crest of a wave in MotoGP - winning all three grands prix and leading the riders’, teams’ and constructors’ world championships.
Trackhouse has shared in that success, with Raul Fernandez starting the season with a double rostrum at Buriram, while Ai Ogura was on course to claim a debut MotoGP podium until an engine issue at COTA.
Despite that disappointment, both Trackhouse riders remain inside the world championship top seven.
The only non-factory team rider ahead of the Trackhouse duo is VR46’s Fabio di Giannantonio. Trackhouse is also the top independent team, currently tied on points with Red Bull KTM for second behind the factory Aprilia squad.
In other words, Trackhouse is currently a highly competitive option. So, who might step in to fill the void left by Ogura?
The Suzuki connection: Maverick Vinales, Alex Rins, Joan Mir
During his time as a factory Suzuki team manager, Trackhouse team principal Davide Brivio gave MotoGP debuts to three future stars: Maverick Vinales, Alex Rins and Joan Mir.
All took a first premier-class victory with Suzuki, with Mir going on to win the 2020 world championship.
The trio remain in MotoGP and, like most of the grid, are yet to officially confirm their 2027 plans.
A reunion with Vinales, now a ten-time MotoGP winner on Suzuki, Yamaha and Aprilia machinery, would appear least likely, since the current Tech3 KTM rider left the factory Aprilia team at the end of 2024.
Vinales was surprised to find out that Fabiano Sterlacchini would leave KTM and become Aprilia’s technical director, but is now linked with joining the factory KTM team alongside Alex Marquez for 2027.
Meanwhile, the future looks less clear for Rins and Mir.
Ogura’s Yamaha deal would be at the expense of Rins, with Jorge Martin already pencilled in to take over the seat vacated by Fabio Quartararo.
Meanwhile, Mir looks to be out of a ride at HRC, which is rumoured to be placing David Alonso alongside Quartararo.
Both Rins and Mir have struggled to replicate the success they enjoyed at Suzuki.
Rins, a five-time GSX-RR winner, added a Honda victory in only his third race for LCR in 2023, but suffered a bad leg break a few rounds later and hasn’t finished higher than seventh since joining Yamaha the following year.
Mir has remained a factory Honda rider since Suzuki’s exit, enduring a nightmare number of DNFs before appearing to turn a corner with two podiums at the end of last season.
Unfortunately for Mir, this season has started with more retirements, including the tyre issue in Buriram. However, Mir has also shown his raw speed with fifth on the grid at COTA and is consistently the fastest RCV rider.
Rookies
Alternatively, having signed Ogura from Moto2, might Trackhouse look at the intermediate class again for his replacement?
Signing a Moto2 rider makes even more sense for 2027, since they already have experience with Pirelli rubber and the MotoGP engine capacity is shrinking to only 85cc larger than the Triumph 765cc powerplants.
Engine performance will obviously be much higher, but the physical size and weight of the new MotoGP machines will be closer to the corner-speed emphasis in Moto2.
Assuming Dani Holgado and David Alonso have already secured MotoGP seats, and looking for a previous Trackhouse connection, the obvious candidate would be Manuel Gonzalez - given a surprise MotoGP debut test with the team at Aragon last season.
Gonzalez, who finished Moto2 title runner-up to Diogo Moreira last season, also currently leads the 2026 world championship standings.
On the other hand, the new Adelaide street circuit will be eager to have a home Australian rider on the grid for its 2027 MotoGP debut.
That will help Jack Miller's chances of staying at Pramac. But if not, might Gonzalez's 20-year-old race-winning team-mate Senna Agius be an option at Trackhouse?
The Rossi connection (Luca, not Valentino)
Before Trackhouse and Suzuki, Brivio began his MotoGP management career at the factory Yamaha team, where he helped tempt Valentino Rossi from Honda, then oversaw the Italian’s four titles between 2004 and 2010.
Brivio then became a consultant for VR46 before setting up Suzuki’s MotoGP return.
Rossi is long retired, but his younger brother Luca Marini - currently Mir’s team-mate at HRC - looks to be on the market.
Although Brivio has a reputation for spotting promising rookies - such as Vinales, Rins, Mir and Ogura, while keeping faith in Raul Fernandez - his past career also includes signing experienced riders, overlooked by other teams.
Examples include giving future Aprilia race winner Aleix Espargaro his factory chance alongside Vinales in Suzuki’s ‘comeback’ line-up, then signing Andrea Iannone after the Italian was dropped by Ducati.
Might Brivio see Marini as another untapped asset, who has the experience, intelligence and hunger to take the Trackhouse project forward in an era of technical upheaval?
The outsider
Another intriguing Trackhouse option might be WorldSBK title leader Nicolo Bulega.
The 26-year-old Italian has been reborn in the WorldSBK paddock after his Moto2 career fizzled out.
Bulega is not only dominating WorldSBK so far this year, but has extensive Pirelli experience and did a solid job during his MotoGP debut in place of the injured Marc Marquez at Ducati Lenovo last season.
Indeed, Bulega looked destined for a 2027 Ducati MotoGP seat after securing an 850cc development role alongside his WorldSBK commitments.
But next year's Desmosedici rides are filling up fast - could Trackhouse and Aprilia step in and offer Bulega a MotoGP lifeline?
In this article
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
