Yamaha names Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura as MotoGP riders for 2027

Yamaha Motor Racing announced on 1 July 2026 that Spanish rider Jorge Martín, the 2024 MotoGP world champion, and Japanese rider Ai Ogura have been signed to a two‑year contract to race for the Monster Yamaha team beginning in the 2027 season. The pairing replaces current riders Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins, whose contracts ended with the 2026 season. Martín, who spent 2025–2026 with Aprilia after a turbulent year with Yamaha, returns to the factory team as its lead rider, while the 25‑year‑old Ogura, a rising talent who finished fourth in the 2026 standings and claimed his first sprint‑race win at the Dutch Grand Prix, will join as his teammate.

The announcement comes as MotoGP prepares for a major regulation change in 2027, shifting to larger‑capacity engines (850 cc according to the Japanese release, 800 cc in the Brazilian report) and new Pirelli tyres. Yamaha’s Managing Director Paolo Pavesio said the new lineup reflects the team’s ambition to contend for the world championship again.