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The article discusses how the multiple crashes, red flags, and confusion surrounding the restart procedures at the Catalan GP have reignited debate among MotoGP riders about whether a stronger riders’ organization is needed. Although the Safety Commission already exists, the article introduces opinions suggesting that MotoGP should create a more independent and influential formal riders’ association, similar to F1’s GPDA. At the same time, it also points out the practical difficulty of achieving unity among MotoGP riders, since they have different personalities and competing interests.

The following is an excerpt from the article. Please refer to the original article for the full context.

[…]

Later in the afternoon, everyone agreed that the proper decision would have been to cancel the Grand Prix, given that they were not in the right mental condition to race. However, that consensus was not strong enough to challenge the organizers’ decision to continue with the scheduled program. The outcome would probably have been different if the riders had spoken out collectively, all together, under an organization that represented them. In other words, the much-discussed riders’ association that has been talked about for several years now, but for various reasons has never fully materialized.

Individualism, the lack of cohesion, and the absence of a collective mentality are probably the clearest reasons why. That impression is reinforced by complaints from several riders on the grid regarding the poor attendance at the Friday Safety Commission meetings. In those meetings, riders sit at the same table as the organizers and privately discuss any issues that concern them.

“It doesn’t matter whether we are friends or not. What matters is that we respect each other. When there are important things like the Safety Commission, we have to attend, period. We are the ones who know and can identify where the limits are. And if we believe something is serious enough that we should not race, then we have to say so. But if only three riders show up to the Safety Commission, that takes away a lot of our influence,” lamented Francesco Bagnaia, referring to the previous Friday at Le Mans, where only he, Jack Miller, and Luca Marini attended the meeting.

It was precisely there that an immediate rule change regarding pit lane entry was agreed upon, following an incident involving Marc Márquez at the previous round in Jerez.

“I’ve always believed those kinds of changes should be made at the end of the season. But what influence are we going to have if only three of us think that way?” Bagnaia complained.

[…]

The closest MotoGP ever came to establishing such a F1’s GPDA was in 2023. At the time, the grid agreed that Sylvain Guintoli was the right person to act as representative and spokesperson. However, the process collapsed when discussions turned to where the funding for the organization would come from.

It is also worth noting that people within Dorna Sports viewed the initiative with some suspicion because of the potential counterweight it could create.

“MotoGP riders are different from Formula 1 drivers. Here, everyone looks after themselves, and they fail to recognize an obvious fact: united, they would have much greater strength and could achieve far more for the common good. It’s a matter of culture and awareness,” an agent representing several riders told Motorsport.com.

“With this mentality, they will always be at a disadvantage in any dispute or confrontation with Dorna,” the source added.

The pillars that support the championship are the promoter, the manufacturers, the teams, and the riders. The promoter naturally holds the most power. The manufacturers have the MSMA, and the teams have IRTA. The only group still left exposed are the riders themselves — the main gladiators of this circus and, paradoxically, also the ones most at risk in every sense.

In this article, Raúl Fernández blames Jorge Martín for their crash in Catalunya, saying that Martín “shouldn’t have been there.”

The following are excerpts from the article. Please refer to the original piece for the full context.

“I feel very bad about the incident with Jorge Martín, but I’m also very upset. When I went to overtake him, he adjusted his line. From the outside, it looks like I hit him — and yes, that’s true — but before that, when I got on the brakes and went to pass him, he saw me. You only need to look at the data and the helicopter images. He picked the bike up, and when he saw it was me, he threw the bike back in completely. At that point, I couldn’t do anything. I feel bad because we had a great opportunity to get a podium, which was the goal,” he added.

Asked about Martín seeing the move differently, Raúl did not want to add more fuel to the fire.

“I have nothing against Jorge, but I find it interesting that he has done the same thing twice. Luckily, this time we have the helicopter footage. I’ve spoken with Brivio and Rivola, and in the images you can clearly see the move,” he said.

Massimo Rivola, the CEO of Aprilia, the brand both riders race for, showed clear anger after the accident, as was seen on television.

“When Rivola saw the helicopter footage, he changed his point of view. At first, he thought I had gone in without thinking.”

The following is a transcript and translation of his official MotoGP interview.

“The pace in the first race was really not good at all, but by the third race I was able to make a lot of adjustments (to my riding) and go much faster, so while I was running there, I felt that being in fifth from that starting position wasn’t actually too bad.”

“But in the end, it was my own mistake — I caused the rider in front of me (Acosta) to crash, and I ended up receiving a penalty myself because of it. So really… yes, it was a pathetic… a truly pathetic race from me.”

The following are excerpts from an article in which Ai Ogura talks about being praised by Fabio Di Giannantonio and about racing at Montmeló. For the full context, please read the original article. For reference, Di Giannantonio’s comment was as follows:

>“To be honest, they are great at the moment. All the riders are riding incredibly. Bez is very precise, Jorge pushes a lot, and Ai is simply fantastic — I’m a fan of him.”

>

>Why is Ai Ogura so good?

>“His ability on corner entry is incredible. Since his Moto2 days, you could see how good his control is in that area — he is very precise. He has found the best compromise to turn the bike in perfectly without putting too much stress on the tire. I really like his riding style.”

>https://www.speedweek.com/a/motogp/di-giannantonio-zu-acosta-wenn-er-sauer-ist-tut-es-mir-leid-fuer-ihn

Fabio Di Giannantonio, the VR46 Ducati rider, openly described himself as a fan of Ai Ogura on Thursday in Barcelona. Is Ogura happy to have fans among his rivals?

“Yes, it’s nice that Diggia says that. But I think I still have a lot to improve regarding my body position in the corners,” he said modestly.

Where does Ogura see the biggest challenge for himself in Montmeló?

“My goal for this season is to achieve better results than last year — at every track. Last year I finished sixth, so my goal is to finish further ahead this time,” he said.

Are there sections of the circuit that give him more trouble than others?

“Sector 4. For me, the fourth sector is the most important. Especially the last two corners are difficult for me, and at the same time, they are very important.”

Another of Ogura’s strengths is tire management. Could that also help him in Barcelona in the closing laps?

“Of course, it is good to still have something left at the end of the race, but at the same time, we also want to improve the first part,” he explained.

The following is a summary of the article along with some excerpts.

Veda Ega Pratama once again attracted attention in international racing after an impressive ride in the fifth round of the 2026 Moto3 season at Le Mans, France. Although he finished just outside the podium in fourth place, his performance earned praise from many, including Honda Team Asia.

1. A comeback from 14th to 4th

Starting from sixth on the grid, Veda dropped to 14th on the opening lap. He then fought back strongly and finished fourth, just missing the podium.

2. New nickname: “Boeing 954”

Veda’s speed and ability to surge forward from the back earned him a new nickname from his team. In addition to the familiar “Rocket Boys” label, Honda Team Asia has now given Veda the nickname “Boeing 954.”

In a post on the honda_team_asia Instagram account, Veda Ega Pratama was referred to as Boeing 954. The aircraft nickname was given because Veda Ega Pratama was able to fly from 14th to 4th in the French Moto3 Grand Prix.

“Boeing 954 Pratama is giving you a little motivation this Monday. From 14th to 4th — just another thing Veda does,” Honda Team Asia wrote.

The number 954 is believed to refer to the maximum speed of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which reaches 954 kilometers per hour, a metaphor used to describe how quickly the young rider surged toward the front.

3. Strong first wet race

Rain shortened the race from 20 to 13 laps. It was Veda’s first Moto3 world championship race in wet conditions, and despite several near crashes caused by worn tires, he finished safely and scored points.

“In the last four laps, I felt the tires dropping off and I nearly crashed several times. Luckily I was able to save it and I tried to finish. Getting points was already a good result for me,” Veda said, as quoted by the official MotoGP website on Tuesday (May 12, 2026).

4. Into the top five overall

Thanks to the additional 13 points from Le Mans, Veda has strengthened his position among the elite riders. He is currently fifth in the provisional 2026 Moto3 standings with 50 points. This result leaves him just two points behind Valentin Perrone in fourth and three points behind Álvaro Carpe in third. He also holds a comfortable 32-point lead over fellow Southeast Asian rider Hakim Danish.

5. Consistent top-level results

This was his fourth straight top-10 finish and his second top-four result of the season, following his podium in the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix.

The following is an excerpt from the article.

According to Quartararo, his strong performance at the French Grand Prix was helped by the improved feeling he found with the 2025 aero package he tested during the official post-Spanish GP test.

“At the Jerez test, I had the same feeling as today. The bike was quite stable, and I was able to keep putting in good lap times. It felt good.”

Although Quartararo admitted that returning to the previous aero package does not necessarily make the bike faster, he explained that it allows him to push more aggressively and ride better overall. He also said that the improved feeling has had a positive effect on tire management and braking.

This was especially helpful in the race, where he chose the soft tire — a borderline option considering wear.

“I really had to be smooth on the brakes. But in the end, that’s where you can make the difference. I know the bike’s potential is still quite low, but I haven’t had this kind of feeling for a long time until today.”

“I was able to push 100 percent. Especially on the opening lap, when everyone is close together, overtaking becomes easier, and that was good.”

“We are always aiming to improve the package through setup, but until a really strong package or new parts arrive, I don’t want to change the bike. Right now, I don’t want to touch it. If the team brings some test items, we’ll see whether they improve performance.”

In the middle of a difficult season, Quartararo showed an unusually positive attitude. However, when asked whether he felt optimistic about the future, he responded calmly.

“No, I wouldn’t say I’m optimistic. In the end, if this really improved the bike’s performance, the other Yamaha riders would be using it too. But this is more about my feeling — I just feel a little better. Let’s see what happens at other tracks. Still, one thing I can definitely say is that I’m able to push.”

The following is an excerpt from a passionate three-page sports column by Grand Prix writer Satoshi Endo, including an interview with Ai Ogura.

After the race, Ai wore a broad smile. When he won the Moto2 title in 2024, he showed his joy with his whole body, but that carried a strong sense of relief — relief at having finally secured the “world champion” he had earned under enormous pressure. On this podium finish in his 23rd MotoGP race, however, he seemed unable to contain the joy rising from the depths of his heart.

“I don’t know what to say. I still can’t believe it. I attacked from the beginning, but I lost a few positions and had to fight my way back. It wasn’t an easy race, but I was able to run at a good pace toward the end. My first MotoGP podium… I’m really happy. It just feels amazing.”

In this race, most riders set their best laps around lap five, when the tires were still fresh. By contrast, race winner Martín set his best lap on lap 15. Ai recorded his best lap even later, on lap 19.

Careful riding in braking, cornering, and acceleration helps preserve tire life. On the other hand, that same style can become a weakness early in the race. Because he is gentle on his tires, he cannot get them working well in the opening stages, and in qualifying — where outright speed is required — that prevents him from moving up the order. Looking ahead to his next goal, his first victory, Ai spoke about his own challenges and weaknesses as follows.

“When people ask me, ‘Are you always thinking about the second half of the race?’ the answer is no. I’m always pushing to the limit. As I’ve said many times, my weak point is my one-lap pace… securing a good grid position in qualifying is one of my biggest challenges.”

Ai has also said this about MotoGP racing:

“For the first four or five laps after the start, everyone rides incredibly hard. After that, it becomes this calm pace that makes you wonder if the race is already over. For me, though, that feels like the real race is just beginning.”

Looking at the records for current regular MotoGP riders’ first podiums, Joan Mir took 20 races and Francesco Bagnaia 21; Ai’s 23rd race is on par with those two former champions. In terms of first victories, Marc Márquez stands out with a win in his second race, but Fabio Quartararo did it in his 20th, Mir in his 31st, and Bagnaia in his 42nd. If Ogura takes his first victory this season, he would be following the same path as past world champions, and the possibility of winning the title would become more realistic.

“If I can get faster, I think I can beat the factory Aprilias too. It will be tough, but I’m going to keep taking on the challenge.”

Having closed the gap to the factory duo at Le Mans, we can look forward to even more strong performances from Ogura.

This article summarizes Ai Ogura's performance during the 2026 MotoGP Round 5, the French GP.

Below are excerpts from his interview:

Trackhouse MotoGP Team – Ai Ogura (Race: 3rd)

"The race was truly amazing, and we got lucky with the weather. My start wasn't actually that great, but I managed to pass a few riders in the first two or three corners, and I think that was the biggest key to this result."

"The first half of the race was quite a challenge, but from the mid-point onwards, the feeling with the bike improved, and I was able to overtake many riders. I'm really happy. I didn't expect Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) to drop back that much, and I was able to maintain a strong pace toward the end of the race. It was unexpected, but it feels truly great."

Excerpt follows

>
Track House MotoGP Team Ai Ogura (FP1: 8th, Practice: 9th)

>“It was tough, but I'm really happy. Free practice was tricky, but I knew where I was losing time and what I needed to improve. It was really difficult to fix those issues, but things started to come together toward the end of practice, and now I understand how to make the necessary adjustments. So I'm really happy. I wasn't able to maintain speed in the middle of the corners, but I'm gradually figuring out how to approach them.”