Understanding Ai Ogura’s Unique Riding Style

In the world of MotoGP, where every thousandth of a second counts, riders often seem to fall into established patterns of behaviour. Yet every so often, a rider comes along with a style so distinct it forces everyone, including their own team, to sit up and take notice. Ai Ogura, currently sitting second in the world championship standings, is that rider.

His approach to getting a 200kg, 300-horsepower motorcycle around a track is turning heads. And in a fascinating move, his SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team has decided to lean into his uniqueness, rather than try to iron it out.

What is so different about Ogura’s style?

At the heart of Ogura’s distinctiveness is his tendency to ‘slide’ the bike. For a beginner, it’s easiest to imagine two ways of taking a corner. The most common way is to be incredibly neat, keeping both tyres gripping the tarmac and following a perfect, clean line as if the bike were on rails.

Ogura’s method is different. He has a much looser, more aggressive style where he deliberately allows the rear of the bike to slide sideways as he goes through a corner. This controlled slide, using the spinning rear wheel to help steer the bike, is visually dramatic and incredibly difficult to master. It requires an extraordinary feel for the limit of grip.

How is his team reacting to this?

This is where the story gets really interesting. A team’s first instinct might be to coach a rider towards a more conventional, predictable style. But Ogura’s crew chief, Giovanni Mattarollo, and the SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team squad are taking the opposite approach.

A crew chief is the lead engineer assigned to a specific rider, responsible for translating the rider’s feedback into technical changes to the bike. Instead of asking Ogura to change, Mattarollo has confirmed the team is working hard to understand the physics of his style and adapt the Aprilia motorcycle to complement it.

This means adjusting the bike’s electronics, suspension, and geometry—all the complex parts that dictate its behaviour—to make it more stable and effective while it’s sliding. It’s a brave, rider-first philosophy.

Why not just make him change?

A rider’s style is not just a choice; it’s a deeply ingrained instinct developed over thousands of hours of riding. Forcing a rider to abandon their natural feeling for the bike can make them slower, less confident, and ultimately less successful.

Ogura’s results speak for themselves. You don’t get to second place in the world’s toughest motorcycle championship by being slow. His method, while unusual, is clearly effective for him. The team’s job is to unlock the final few percentage points of performance, and they believe the best way to do that is by perfecting the harmony between this specific rider and his machine.

What does this mean for the championship?

Ogura’s unique style makes him an unpredictable and formidable opponent. If his team can successfully tailor the bike to his needs, he may be able to find speed in places where more conventional riders cannot.

This could be a huge advantage at certain tracks or in specific conditions where a bit of sideways action helps the bike turn faster. For fans, it makes him one of the most exciting riders to watch on the grid. You’re never quite sure how he is going to attack a corner.

Are there risks to this approach?

Absolutely. Riding on the very edge of grip is a high-wire act. A controlled slide is fractions of a second away from being an uncontrolled crash, known as a ‘highside’, which is one of the most dangerous accidents in racing.

Furthermore, sliding the rear tyre generates immense heat and friction, which can cause it to wear out much faster than usual. In an era where managing tyre life over a long race is crucial for victory, this is a major challenge. The team’s biggest task will be to give Ogura a bike that lets him use his favourite style without destroying his tyres before the chequered flag.

Quick Takeaways

• Ai Ogura, a top MotoGP title contender, is known for his unusual and aggressive ‘sliding’ riding style.
• His SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team, led by crew chief Giovanni Mattarollo, is adapting the bike to suit his style, not forcing him to change.
• This rider-centric approach shows how teams work to maximise a rider’s natural talent, even when it’s unconventional.
• While very fast, the style is high-risk and places huge importance on the team’s ability to manage tyre wear.