The 2025 MotoGP grid saw a trio of rookies face the premier class of 2-wheel racing. This is the most amount of rookies in a single season since 2022. Fermín Aldeguer, Somkiat Chantra, and Moto2 champion Ai Ogura made up the new faces. The season has seen ups and downs for them, and whilst Aldeguer finishes the season as the official Rookie of the Year, here’s our lowdown of the new riders.

Ai Ogura

Ai Ogura had big shoes to fill as he entered the MotoGP grid as the reigning Moto2 champion. He won three races in the intermediate series, but consistent and smooth riding with his calm demeanor saw him take the title in Thailand. He won with a 40-point gap over Arón Canet. Joining the Trackhouse MotoGP Team – a satellite team of Aprilia Racing – Ogura was partnering Raúl Fernández for the 2025 season. 

Ogura’s inaugural race started on a high. In Thailand, he advanced to Q2 straight away and qualified fifth. Finishing fourth and fifth in the sprint and feature race, he took 17 points on debut. But the high didn’t last long. Using non-homologated software in the bikes’ electronic control unit, Ogura was disqualified from the Argentinian race. 

The 2025 season was a mixed bag for Ogura, featuring high-highs, and low-lows. Ogura suffered an unstable year due to big impacts and four retirements. Injuries caused him to withdraw from a further four races (including his home race in Japan). The upside? Achieving points in every feature race he finished. 

Ultimately, whilst it wasn’t as consistent a season as Ogura would’ve hoped for, it was still an impressive one. Finishing 16th in the standings with 89 points, he achieved 34% of the teams’ points. His calm approach to racing impressed on the track, and as he faces his second season in 2026, he’ll be looking to gain more consistency throughout the year.

Somkiat Chantra

Somkiat Chantra has been a quiet figure on the grid this year. Winning the Asia Talent Cup in 2016, Chantra was a rising star in his early career. For five years he competed in Moto2, winning two races and achieving six podiums. In 2025, he joined Honda LCR with Idemitsu, replacing the retiring Takaaki Nakagami.

Chantra had a slower start to the season and seemed to struggle on the Honda RC213V machine. Lasting only 11 laps at the Spanish Grand Prix, Chantra was forced to retire. Subsequently, he received arm pump surgery to relieve pain and pressure in his forearm and missed the French round. In the mid-season, Chantra suffered a knee injury which saw him withdraw from four rounds. 

Despite a rocky start to the season, Chantra received his maiden points in Assen – finishing 15th in the feature race. The second half of the year, after returning from his injury, saw a better run for Chantra compared to the early stages. He never scored points in the sprint races, but would gain them in four of the final seven feature races. 

Whilst the Honda was a tricky machine to master, Chantra wasn’t able to capitalise it in the way his teammate, Johann Zarco, could. Taking a mere seven points in 2025, Chantra was 26th in the final standings. Throughout the year, Chantra impressed with his smooth riding style and had a strength in the braking zones. Marred by injuries and a lack of adaptability, it was a season to forget for Chantra, and he was unable to renew his contract for 2026.

Fermín Aldeguer

There’s no doubt that Fermín Aldeguer deserves the Rookie of the Year award. Taking home three wins and five podiums last year in Moto2, he finished fifth in the series and impressed across the paddock. Stepping into MotoGP, he replaced Marc Márquez at BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP and teamed up with Álex Márquez. Whilst limited to the Ducati Desmosedici GP24 bike, he didn’t let being on an older bike hold him back. 

Initially, Aldeguer had a slow but steady start to the season. Finishing 15th in Thailand, he took a single point on debut. Retirements in two of the first five rounds impacted his early season but a podium in France showed his talent.

He’d go on to improve on his debut third place, achieving a second place in Austria and a win in Indonesia. Winning by an impressive 6.987 second margin over fellow Murcian Pedro Acosta, Aldeguer became the second youngest MotoGP winner. 

Unlike his fellow rookies, Aldeguer competed in every round. But he saw his fair share of crashes too. He scored 31% of the Gresini Racing’s final points total – placing eighth in the standings with 214 points. Overall, it was an impressive inaugural season for Aldeguer as he showed how his smooth and clean riding style could also be aggressive when the time called. His ability to find alternative racing lines also put him above the rest.

Looking Towards 2026

In 2026, Ogura and Aldeguer will rise from the rookie position – both remaining with their 2025 teams. With a year under their belts, they’ll be looking to show improvement and leave their mark on the sport. It’s a different story for Chantra however as he leaves MotoGP after his rookie campaign. Instead, he faces a new challenge in World Superbikes. Continuing the relationship with Honda, he’ll be joining the Honda HRC team with Moto2 graduate Jake Dixon. 

Two riders will take over the rookie title in MotoGP next year. 21-year-old Brazilian Diogo Moreira steps into the Honda LCR team in place of Chantra. This year, he was in Moto2 with Italtrans Racing Team and won the championship over Manuel González in the final round. Replacing Miguel Oliveira at Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP is 29-year-old Toprak Razgatlıoğlu. He makes the jump from World Superbikes and holds three championships in the series. 

Like the rest of the grid, the 2025 rookies experienced highs and lows as they navigated the MotoGP paddock. None of the three had a perfect season, but they all impressed in different ways. With two continuing in MotoGP, and one starting afresh in a new series, what can 2026 bring for them as they continue their careers?