Sylvain Guintoli seriously impressed by what he saw ‘unbelievable’ MotoGP rookie do at the Thai Grand Prix

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MotoGP has welcomed three rookies onto the grid in 2025, and what Sylvain Guintoli saw one debutant do in the Sprint Race at the Thai Grand Prix was really ‘impressive’.

Nine of the 11 crews on the 2025 MotoGP grid have welcomed new riders to their ranks this year. Ducati and Honda have also placed rookies Fermin Aldeguer and Somkiat Chantra with Gresini and LCR respectively, while Trackhouse Racing signed Ai Ogura without a works deal.

Ogura is the only rookie on the 2025 grid without a factory contract, despite the 24-year-old moving up to the premier class as the 2024 Moto2 champion. Trackhouse signed the would-be intermediate class champion last August to add another piece to the rider market puzzle.

Marc Marquez was another piece of the puzzle after joining Ducati and he ensured the 2025 season started as Borgo Panigale natives meant to go on after dominating MotoGP last year. The Spaniard claimed the first win of the campaign in the Sprint Race at the Thai Grand Prix.

Ai Ogura stuns Sylvain Guintoli with the rookie’s start to the Thai Grand Prix Sprint Race

Marquez taking the first win of the year on his Ducati debut was not the only storyline from Buriram on Saturday, though. Ogura also took Guintoli’s attention with his ‘impressive’ start to the Sprint Race on his Trackhouse debut racing an Aprilia RS-GP25 at the Thai Grand Prix.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Ai Ogura from height to career stats

Ogura is enjoying a very strong start to his MotoGP career at Buriram after qualifying in fifth place for the Thai Grand Prix and coming home in P4 in the Sprint Race. The Japanese talent especially stunned Guintoli with his launch as Ogura overtook Jack Miller of Pramac Yamaha.

Guintoli said on TNT Sports 2 (01/03, 08:36): “What a start! I suppose he doesn’t know cos it’s his first start and when you don’t know, you just have a go. It was unbelievable. Around the outside, I mean, really?

“Most of those guys are veterans, they’ve been here forever and they’re blocking the inside and he’s just like, ‘Well, I’ll just go [around the] outside [and] release the brakes on my new tyres, it doesn’t matter. They’re not quite up to pressure, it doesn’t matter’. Impressive!”

Ai Ogura was only 0.969 seconds from a maiden Sprint podium on his debut at Buriram

Miller beat Ogura by just 0.044 seconds to qualify in P4 on his debut for Pramac after joining the de facto second works Yamaha team following his release by KTM. Yet the Aussie did not get a great start as Franco Morbidelli looked to pass both Miller and Ogura from his P6 start.

But Ogura was also wise to Miller’s slower launch off the line, so the Trackhouse ace quickly moved to the outside for Turn 1 as Morbidelli of VR46 claimed the inside. It was an inspired decision as Ogura could release his brake and sail around Miller to claim P4 out of the bend.

Neil Hodgson also branded Ogura’s start ‘super aggressive’ on commentary for TNT Sports at Buriram. His run to P4 at the chequered flag, just 4.392 seconds behind Marquez, further saw Hodgson praise Trackhouse for signing Ogura as he hounded Francesco Bagnaia for P3.