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Yamaha Signs Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura as 2027 Factory Riders

Yamaha says the two-year deals are meant to speed recovery after a sporting crisis tied to poor results and problems with its V4 engine.

Overview

  • Yamaha officially announced that Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura will join its MotoGP factory team on two-season contracts starting in 2027.
  • Jorge Martin arrives with top credentials as the 2024 world champion and a leading contender in the current championship.
  • Ai Ogura joins after his breakthrough win at Assen, which made him the first Japanese rider to win a premier-class Grand Prix in 22 years.
  • The signings follow Yamaha’s formal departures of Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins and come while both new hires remain under contract to their current teams through 2026.
  • The move reshapes the 2027 grid as customer squads prepare to challenge the works pairing, with Pramac already holding Toprak Razgatlioglu and Izan Guevara widely expected to join that team.