- Kiwi Moto3 racer Cormac Buchanan impressed with strong pace at Balaton Park, MotoGP’s newest circuit.
- Qualified just 0.2 seconds off Q2 and charged through the race before a late crash at turn five ended his run.
- Buchanan says he’s proud of his progress and will carry momentum into the Catalonia GP in Barcelona, Sept 5–7.
New Zealand grand prix racer Cormac Buchanan is refusing to let a crash define round 14 of the Moto3 World Championship in Hungary.
MotoGP staged its debut at the new Balaton Park Circuit, and the technicalities of the tight track resulted in a plethora of incidents throughout the weekend. From the first practice sessions, Buchanan delivered constant progress with lap times improving every outing as he adapted to the new layout. In Q1 on Saturday, he finished fifth, just 0.2 seconds and one place away from advancing to Q2.
“Overall, it was a positive weekend in which we tackled each session differently than usual, trying to be calmer when on the bike to reduce mistakes and over-pushing, which has been my issue recently,” he said. “Yes, the result was a glitch, but 99 per cent of the weekend we are really proud of, as we achieved what we were aiming to do and will continue to build on the new approach we’ve developed.”
Starting P19 on the grid, the young Kiwi’s methodical approach to the race was paying dividends in the opening 13 laps of the Moto3 race before he was caught out unexpectedly at turn five.
“I am angry and disappointed not to have been able to finish a strong weekend in the points again. We were on track to do exactly that, so it’s really frustrating to be hitting this tough phase in the season,” Buchanan said. “The race was chaotic to say the least, and I struggled to start fast and have a good feeling with the new tyre, so it took a couple of laps for me to find my vibe. Then I started making my way forward into 16th, and then pulled a big gap on the riders behind me.
“My pace was really strong and consistent. I had the group in front of me that were battling for P12. They had a big gap after I lost ground in the opening laps, but I could lap a second faster at some points and was closing them in. I knew I had a pace advantage as I wasn’t riding close to my limit, managing the tire as well as myself for the final six laps.
“Then, in corner five, unexpectedly I lost the front without any chance to save it. I’m upset as I wasn’t pushing overly hard and had actually changed my riding style to adopt a safe approach so I could bring the bike and points home. It’s frustrating, but highs and lows are part of this sport.
“I know there is light at the end of the tunnel, and the team and I won’t stop fighting until we reach where we deserve. I’m so proud to be a part of this BOE Motorsports team and happy with the work and progression we had this weekend. The crash does not define it.”
Buchanan’s next assignment is the Catalonia GP in Barcelona from September 5-7.
“We will take all of our good work into our home GP at Montmelo – a track I enjoy.”
