Japan's MotoGP podium drought is over: The history behind Ai Ogura's breakthrough

Ai Ogura's third place at the French Grand Prix was the first MotoGP podium for a Japanese rider since 2012. The result finally ended the longest barren run for the country since Hideo Kanaya opened its rostrum account at the 1973 French GP. It's worth taking a moment to put that into context because for Japan to endure 14 years without so much as a podium, particularly given the number of ...