Meet the 2025 MotoGP rookies!

With the 2025 FIM MotoGP World Championship season approaching to commence, in this article we bring you profiles of the 2025 MotoGP rookie riders: Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Racing Aprilia), Fermin Aldeguer (Gresini Racing Ducati) and Somkiat Chantra (LCR Honda Idemitsu)

1. Ai Ogura

Ai Ogura is a Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix rider. Born in Kyoto, Japan on January 26, 2001, Ogura began his career at the national junior championships at age of 14 in 2015. He then competed for Asia Talent Cup, and like 2024 MotoGP world champion Jorge Martin, Ogura also participated to race in the Red Bull Rookies Cup and FIM CEV Repsol (now JuniorGP) from 2016 to 2018. After finished 2nd in 2017 RBRC, Ogura made his world championship debut in the Moto3 race as wildcard at the 2018 Spanish Grand Prix. The following year in 2019, Ogura competed in full season with Idemitsu Team Asia, where he battled rookies like Celestino Vietti, Andrea Migno, Sergio Garcia, and Ogura's future Trackhouse Racing MotoGP teammate Raul Fernandez. His best finish that year was 2nd place podium at Aragon. In 2020, Ogura became the Moto3 title challenger, where he collected seven podiums and no wins, finished joint runner-up with Tony Arbolino, only four points short of the champion Albert Arenas.

In 2021, Ogura promoted to Moto2 with the same team where he finished eighth in his rookie season. The following season in 2022, Ogura once again became the title contender in Moto2. Heading to Malaysian GP, Ogura had a four point lead from his title rival Augusto Fernandez and needs to win the race unless Augusto crashed out to seal Ogura's intermediate class title. However, Ogura collided with Arbolino on the final lap, causing Ogura scored no points and Augusto took 13 points, leaving the Moto2 title decider in final round at Valencia. There, Ogura must finish at least on the podium places unless Augusto crashed or didn't score points. However, another distraction from Arbolino, Ogura crashed out mid-race and lost the Moto2 world championship to Augusto, who later became the lone rookie in MotoGP 2023.

Ogura testing his Boscoscuro during 2024 Qatar Test

After another frustrating year with Idemitsu Team Asia in 2023, Ogura signed his contract with MT Helmets MSI Racing Team for 2024 Moto2 campaign. With three wins and eight podiums, the #79 rider paved his way to clinch the Moto2 world title, making him the fourth Japanese rider to win such the intermediate class world title after Tetsuya Harada (1997), Daijiro Kato (2001) and Hiroshi Aoyama (2009).

Ogura is due to race with American-based Trackhouse Racing team for his rookie season in premier class for 2025 and 2026 seasons alongside Raul Fernandez.

2. Fermin Aldeguer

Fermin Aldeguer Mengual is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle racer due to race for Gresini Racing MotoGP in 2025. Born in Murcia, Spain on April 5, 2005, Aldeguer instantly jumped into Moto2 class without competing in Moto3 in 2021. Aldeguer became the youngest intermediate class pole-sitter at age of 17 in the 2022 Argentina GP, before Jake Dixon took Aldeguer out of the race. The following season in 2023, Aldeguer became the Moto2 title contender, finishing third place in the championship, with five wins. In 2024, Aldeguer's Moto2 talent was discovered by Ducati MotoGP division. After his 19th birthday on April 5, Aldeguer signed with Ducati, but the #54 rider needs to choose either with factory team or with satelite teams Pramac, Gresini or VR46. After Marc Marquez signed to factory Ducati team to join Francesco Bagnaia; the VR46 team announced Fabio Di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli for 2025; and Prima Pramac Racing would end their Ducati partnership after 2024; Aldeguer signed for Gresini Racing for 2025 and 2026 with his compatriot Alex Marquez as his teammate.

3. Somkiat Chantra

Somkiat Chantra will make history as the first Thai rider to compete in the premier class of the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing history in 75 years. Prior to his upcoming MotoGP debut, Chantra competed in Asian Road Racing Championships from 2014 to 2016, and raced alongside Ogura in the Asia Talent Cup from 2016 to 2018. Chantra has since competed in Moto2 world championship from 2019 to 2024, whereas he and Ogura became teammates from 2021 to 2023. In 2024 after Takaaki Nakagami announced his retirement from racing, LCR Honda Idemitsu announced #35 Chantra to race for 2025 and 2026 seasons.

So who will be the best rookie in 2025? Tune in to MotoGP.com for more!