ASSEN, The Netherlands — For the first time since 2004, a Japanese rider stood on the top step of a MotoGP podium in Sunday’s drama-filled Dutch Grand Prix.
Makoto Tamada won the 2004 Japanese Grand Prix and was the most recent Japanese winner… until today.
A rapidly rising star from the land of the rising sun stood tallest at the Cathedral of Speed in 2026, as Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) clinched a maiden MotoGP victory in a highly dramatic Tissot Grand Prix of the Netherlands.
Raul Fernandez came home second to see SuperFile Trackhouse celebrate a 1-2 finish in Assen, as a third for Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) sees the No. 89 rider climb to the summit of the World Championship after teammate Marco Bezzecchi, who was transported to the hospital for further checks after suffering an early DNF following a rapid Turn 15 crash.
From pole, Martin didn’t hold onto the lead into Turn 1 after Ogura’s fast start from the middle of the front row, but on the cut back out of the opening corner, Martin powered back past the lead the Grand Prix. Ogura and Fernandez were P2 and P3, as Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) passed Bezzecchi on Lap 1.
A royal rumble battle was unfolding on Lap 2, with Martin enjoying some free space in the lead of the Grand Prix. It was Trackhouse vs Trackhouse for P2 at the first corner, and as the duo battled, through came Marc Marquez in the intense battle for P2. Ogura was the one to lose out though, the Japanese rider was shuffled down to P5, behind Fernandez, Marc Marquez and Bezzecchi, before huge drama unfolded at the end of Lap 2.
Bezzecchi, through the ferociously fast Turn 15 of Ramshoek, lost the front while sat behind Marc Marquez. No chance of saving it. The Italian was down the road in a big way, and while the main point was that Bez was relatively alright after a huge off, it was a third Sunday in a row where the pre-race championship leader would score zero points.
Fernandez was reeling in Martin at a rapid rate of knots. Marquez was holding P3 for the time being, but Ogura was swarming. The Japanese rider needed to get past the reigning World Champion as soon as possible, and Ogura did what he needed to do. But the Sprint silver medalist had over two seconds to make up to teammate Fernandez and leader Martin.
While Ogura got the better of Marquez, we then strapped in for Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) vs Marc Marquez, with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) enjoying a VIP ticket to the show in P6.
A handful of lunges, then re-overtakes from the 2027 factory Ducati teammates were a treat for the eyes, but it was a scrap that saw third place Ogura quickly scamper to a three-second lead over the trio.
After narrowly missing out on a debut win in Brno, Ogura only had to wait seven days longer to stand on the top step for the first time in MotoGP. An extraordinary performance at the Cathedral. Japan’s rising star has arrived in the top class of motorcycle racing, and it’s a win that sees Ogura sit just 25 points off the championship lead.
As mentioned, Diggia battled hard to take the checkered flag fourth, with Alex Marquez putting in a heroic effort to round out the top five.
