Ai Ogura Withdraws from San Marino MotoGP GP as Thumb Injury Continues to Heal

Ai Ogura has been ruled out of this weekend's San Marino Grand Prix as he continues to recover from a fractured left thumb, dealing another blow to his 2026 MotoGP title hopes.

The Trackhouse Racing rider underwent a medical assessment in Barcelona on Tuesday, with doctors determining that the injury had not healed sufficiently for him to return to racing at Misano. Ogura had hoped to make his comeback after missing the previous round in Aragón, but his recovery has taken longer than expected.

Ogura suffered the injury in a motocross training crash in Japan shortly after the British Grand Prix. He underwent surgery in Barcelona before missing the Aragón GP, where Aprilia test rider Lorenzo Savadori stepped in as his replacement.

However, Savadori is unavailable for the San Marino round, leaving Trackhouse with no replacement option. As a result, the team will field only Raul Fernandez at Misano.

Ogura will remain in Barcelona to continue his rehabilitation, with the team now targeting a return at next week's Austrian Grand Prix. Trackhouse said the 25-year-old will focus on regaining his fitness ahead of the next round. 

The extended absence is particularly costly for Ogura given his position in the championship. The Japanese rider entered Aragón third in the standings, but after missing that race and now the San Marino GP, he has dropped to fifth and sits 53 points behind championship leader Jorge Martín.

Ogura's injury comes at a difficult point in what had been a strong season. He claimed his maiden MotoGP podium at the French Grand Prix and established himself as a genuine contender in the tightly packed championship fight.

Missing two consecutive rounds now makes his title challenge considerably more difficult, especially with the championship battle remaining so close. Still, the immediate priority for Ogura and Trackhouse is to ensure he returns only when the injury has healed sufficiently.

The San Marino GP will therefore go ahead with Trackhouse represented by Fernandez alone, while Ogura turns his attention to making a fully fit return in Austria next weekend.