Aprilia satellite team Trackhouse found themsevles a rider short at the Grand Prix of Aragon as Ai Ogura pulled out with an injury.
The 2024 Moto2 rider was set to compete in the race after undergoing successful keyhole surgery to repair a fractured tibia in a crash at Silverstone in Friday practice. However, after medical advice, Ogura was advised to sit out of the Aragon Grand Prix.
The Japanese rider has been arguably MotoGP’s most impressive rookie of 2025 thus far. Sitting 12th in the standings with 43 points, Ogura has been impressive for Aprilia in Jorge Martin’s absence.
Teammate Raul Fernandez has largely been outperformed by Ogura as he struggles to find consistency on the RS-GP25. Fernandez is being watched closely by Aprilia, as they have been unimpressed by his performances thus far.
Results have improved recently, however, with top 12 finishes in the last three races, including 10th in Aragon. But with only Fernandez racing last weekend, Trackhouse lacked extra data from a second rider, which they looked to exploit in the test on Monday.
Trackhouse were not ‘allowed’ to test Diogo Moreira at Aragon due to his Moto2 contract
Trackhouse offered a test to Moto2 rider Manu Gonzalez at Aragon. The Spaniard is level on points with Aron Canet at the top of the intermediate class in 2025 and is one of two riders to win multiple races this season alongside Jake Dixon.
Trackhouse boss Davide Brivio says there is nothing beyond the test for Gonzalez, but according to journalist Simon Patterson, he was not the team’s ‘first choice’ to test at Aragon.
Speaking via The Race MotoGP Podcast, Patterson says Brazilian Moto2 rider Diogo Moreira was being tipped to run for the American outfit. However, his contract with Italtrans meant Trackhouse were not ‘allowed’ to test him at Aragon.
“He’s just not the most exciting person I’d have put on the bike, that’s more what it is,” said Patterson about Gonzalez.
“I actually think they had another choice who they weren’t allowed to run, from what I understand. Contractually, because of his Moto2, I think Diogo Moreira was the first choice. But Moto2, contractually with Italtrans, wasn’t allowed to.
“Which is like Livio Suppo, who runs that team now. That’s peak Livio being like: ‘No, he might hurt himself.”
READ MORE: Everything to know about Trackhouse including the MotoGP team’s riders
Could Diogo Moreira move up to MotoGP in 2026?
After eight rounds of the 2025 season, Moreira sits third in the standings, 28 points behind Gonzalez and Canet. The Brazilian has finished second in the last two races, missing out on victory at Aragon by the closest margin in Moto2 history.
With his links to Trackhouse and his current performances in the intermediate class, the 21-year-old is talked about as a possible rider who could make the step up to the premier class in 2026.
Jorge Martin’s exit from Aprilia could give him the perfect opportunity, as the defending MotoGP champion activates an exit clause and seeks to become a free agent in 2026.
There has been chatter that Moreira could join Trackhouse if Aprilia were to promote Ogura to replace Martin. But the Brazilian will have to keep his results up in Moto2, with the likes of Luca Marini and Jack Miller potentially available.
