Moto2 star Ai Ogura has been officially confirmed as moving to MotoGP next season with Trackhouse Aprilia.

The Japanese, 23, is currently second in the Moto2 standings behind MT Helmets - MSi (Boscoscuro) team-mate 💛Sergio Garcia.

While Ogura has often been link🎃ed with the Idemitsu-backed LCR Honda of Takaaki Nakagami, he moved into contention for the Aprilia ride during the summer break.

That also meant fighting off competition from the likes of American star and fellow Moto2 race winner J🎀oe Roberts.

Ogura - who hꩵas signed an initial two-year deal - will join current Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez at the American team next year, with Miguel Oliveira expected to move to th𝓰e new Pramac Yamaha project.

Both Ogura and Fernandez will ride 'current factory specification Trackhouse Aprilia RS-GP bikes' which the team confirmed to mahbx.com means '2025 factory bikes'.

“First, I would like to say thanks to all the people who are part of this project and everybody who supಞported me," Ogura said. "Of course, this is the dream! The final step to take. MotoGP is th🤪e maximum level you can have, so I’m obviously really happy to make it there. 

"I’m very happy to be able to race ജin the top class and I can’t wait to do it together with Trackhouse Racing MotoGP Team. I can see that the team is really competitive and the bike is very strong and as a rider my job is doing what I can with everything I have. 

"It’s always the same mentality but I’m very happy to be part of Trackhouse and make this step up to MotoGP witꦫh them - I’m just looking forward to start 2025. Now I have to think about the Moto2 World Championship. 

"I’ll try to finish this🙈 year the best way I c💜an and arrive well prepared in 2025. Thank you everybody and see you next year!“

Ogura is the third n🎃ew rider joining Aprilia next season, with Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi forming an all-new factory team line-up.

He is also the second Moto2 rider con♎firmed as moving up to MotoGP, with Fꦐermin Aldeguer signed at Ducati and set to be placed at Gresini.

Ogura's friend and former team-mate Somkiat Chantra could make it three rookies on next year's MotoGP grid, should h🎐e be picked over Nakagami at LCR.