Ai Ogura secures first MotoGP victory at Assen, ending Japan’s 22‑year winless streak

Japanese rider Ai Ogura won the Dutch TT MotoGP at the Assen circuit, delivering his maiden premier‑class triumph and becoming the first Japanese rider to win a MotoGP race since Makoto Tamada in 2004. Riding for the SuperFile Trackhouse team, Ogura finished ahead of teammate Raúl Fernández, giving Trackhouse a rare 1‑2 finish after also winning the Sprint race. Jorge Martín (Aprilia) took third place and, by moving into the lead of the world championship, ended Marco Bezzecchi’s brief hold on the top spot.

The race was marked by several high‑profile retirements. Bezzecchi crashed on Turn 15 early on and scored no points for the third consecutive Sunday. Francesco Bagnaia and Pedro Acosta both retired with technical problems, while Marc Marqués finished seventh after receiving a post‑race track‑limits penalty. The event also revived safety concerns about the gravel trap at Turn 15, with riders citing repeated high‑speed incidents.

Ogura’s win reshapes the title fight, narrowing the gap to the championship leader to 25 points and highlighting the rapid rise of the Trackhouse outfit, which has become a dominant force on fast circuits. The results set up an intensified battle heading into the next round at the Sachsenring in Germany.