Yamaha ushers in a new era with Martin and Ogura for 2027
Yamaha didn’t waste much time filling the seats left by Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins. Just a day after confirming that the factory team will ditch the current rider lineup at the end of the 2026 MotoGP season, Yamaha announced Jorge Martin and Japanese rising star Ai Ogura as its factory riders for 2027 and 2028. The announcement is seen by many as the start of Yamaha’s preparations for its new era in MotoGP, which will introduce 850cc engines and revised technical regulations.
Martin arrives with exactly the kind of pedigree Yamaha needs. The Spaniard is the 2024 MotoGP champion and the current championship leader, making him one of the strongest riders on the grid.
Ogura, meanwhile, heads to the factory squad after a breakthrough campaign. Fresh from his historic victory at Assen, the 24-year-old became the first Japanese rider to win a premier-class MotoGP race in 22 years. His signing also gives the Japanese Yamaha a homegrown talent leading its factory MotoGP program.
“We are excited to welcome Jorge and Ai to the Yamaha Factory MotoGP Team as we enter a new era in 2027,” said Yamaha Motor Racing Managing Director, Paolo Pavesio.
Pavesio described Martin as a proven championship contender capable of returning Yamaha to the front of the grid, while praising Ogura’s rapid rise and saying the Japanese rider has all the qualities to become a key part of the team’s future.
