After what has been a challenging winter, Scott Ogden admits simply being back in the paddock feels like a victory in itself.
The British Moto3 rider returned to track action at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão as official testing began for the 2026 season. There had been doubts over Ogden’s fitness following shoulder surgery during the off season, required after injuries sustained in a highside at the 2025 Valencia weekend.
Ogden remains with CIP Green Power for 2026, aiming to build on the steady progression shown throughout the 2025 campaign. With continuity inside the team and a clearer understanding of the package beneath him, the focus now shifts to turning that development into consistent results as the new season approaches.
“It’s nice to be back at the track,” Ogden explained. “My pre-season has been very short coming back off injury, but I’m happy to have been able to go to Portimão. Before the operation it looked like Brazil, so I have to be grateful even to be on the bike.”
That perspective says everything about where he is. What initially looked like a lengthy lay off has instead become an early season return, even if preparation has been far from ideal.
Unfortunately, the Portuguese test failed to deliver the mileage he and the team were targeting. Persistent rain across both days severely restricted running, with Ogden completing fewer than 20 laps in total.
“Sadly we had a lot of rain in Portimão and I didn’t make more than 20 laps over two days,” he said. “I’m still missing a lot of strength, but hopefully in Jerez we are able to make more solid runs.”
Moto2 are currently underway at Portimao for their preseason test before the whole paddock shifts across to Jerez, Spain for the second leg of testing.
