Ai Ogura has been declared fit to return to MotoGP action at the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend. The Japanese rider has been sidelined for the past two rounds due to a thumb injury sustained in a training accident after the British Grand Prix last month.
The injury required surgery ahead of the Aragon round, forcing him to miss both the Aragon and San Marino Grands Prix. Now, after intensive rehabilitation in Barcelona, the Trackhouse Aprilia team has confirmed that Ogura has been given the green light to race, though he will undergo a final fitness check in Friday's opening practice session.
Ogura's return is a welcome boost for the team, which has struggled for form in his absence. His teammate, Raul Fernandez, has been unable to replicate his Silverstone heroics, where he won the race. Ogura's presence is expected to lift team morale and provide valuable data for the development of the RS-GP machine.
However, Ogura's championship aspirations appear to be a long shot. Before his absence, he sat third in the standings, 37 points behind leader Jorge Martin. Now, after two point-less rounds, he finds himself sixth, 71 points adrift. The situation is further complicated by Marc Marquez, who now shares the championship lead with Martin and is building momentum as the season enters its final third.
Despite the odds, Ogura remains optimistic. He acknowledges he will still experience pain but believes the risk of further injury is much lower than if he had raced in Misano last weekend. "As long as I stay on the bike, I will deal with the pain, but there's no chance I make it worse," he told media in Austria on Thursday. "There is some risk if I crash, but a lot less than a week ago."
With Ogura back, Trackhouse hopes to return to competitive form. Meanwhile, Aprilia will also benefit from his technical feedback as they continue to develop the bike for the remainder of the season. The Austrian GP will be a test of Ogura's physical resilience, but his determination to return is commendable.
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