In the run-up to the Austrian Grand Prix, it was announced that Ai Ogura would make his MotoGP debut next season thanks to Trackhouse, and in particular its team manager Davide Brivio. With the signing of the Japanese rider, Brivio remains faithful to the philosophy that makes him a unique case among the managers of the different teams in the championship.
When he was in charge of Suzuki’s MotoGP project, the Italian opted to ‘manufacture’ his line-up of young riders in Alex Rins and Joan Mir. He considered it a safer investment than going to the market to look for a proven rider, theoretically the easiest and usually the most expensive way, which does not always produce the expected result.
The move worked out well for Suzuki. The Hamamatsu brand won the title with Mir in 2020 to coincide with Suzuki’s celebrations of its 60-year racing history and came exactly two decades since its last crown in 2000, won by Kenny Roberts Jr.
Earlier, during his time at Yamaha, Brivio’s spotting talent was key in tying down Jorge Lorenzo even before the Spaniard, then riding a 250cc bike with the #48 on it, won his first silver-class world championship in 2006.
All of the above is a remarkable enough archive to suggest that any decision made by the former Alpine executive is the result of an exhaustive analysis and with sound reasoning behind it. In case that logic did not convince anyone, Brivio himself argued for the choice of MT Helmets youngster Ogura ahead of others – for example, Joe Roberts – who might have seemed a better fit on the satellite Aprilia.
“With Ai, we decided to go in a different direction,” explained Brivio a few days ago, shortly after the announcement of the Tokyo rider’s incorporation with a view to 2025 and 2026. “We did our studies based on the performance we thought the different alternatives we looked at could offer us.
“We appreciate what he is doing in Moto2, his resilience. He never gives up. We are confident and we think he is a good choice.”
The tenacious Ogura has won twice in Moto2 this season and currently sits second in the points
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Asked immediately about Roberts, and the reasons why the only North American team in MotoGP will not have a home-country star to promote, Brivio was as clear as he was elegant in his answer.
“It would be nice to have an American rider in an American team,” he replied. “Joe was on our list, but we did our analysis more from…
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