- Buchanan was less than a second off the fastest rider in every session at Mugello
- The Kiwi progressed through Q1 and reached Q2 for the third time this season
- Despite finishing only 19th, Buchanan believes he had the pace to fight near the front
New Zealand Moto3 rider Cormac Buchanan may have finished outside the points at Mugello, but the Southlander believes the Italian Grand Prix marked a major turning point in his recovery from the injuries that have hampered his recent form.
Cormac Buchanan believes he’s finally getting back to his best after a confidence-boosting weekend at Mugello that saw the young Kiwi consistently challenge the front runners in the Moto3 World Championship.
While the official results sheet shows the Southlander finished 19th in Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix, the result doesn’t tell the full story.
After several difficult rounds recovering from injuries sustained earlier in the season, Buchanan was on the pace throughout the weekend, finishing less than a second from the fastest rider in every session and reaching Q2 for only the third time in 2026.
“The weekend overall was a really positive one, especially with my feeling on the bike,” said Buchanan.
Strong Start In The Wet
Buchanan’s confidence received an early boost when he finished fifth in a wet FP1 session, a particularly satisfying result given his difficult history at the iconic Italian circuit.
“This track holds some, let’s say, pretty bad memories for me in the wet after crashing out of the lead twice in my Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup days,” he said.
“So, it was great to have a strong, fast session in the wet and I felt comfortable straight away.”
The Kiwi continued to build momentum throughout the weekend. Despite narrowly missing direct progression to Q2 after finishing just 0.1 seconds outside the cut-off in practice, Buchanan was encouraged by his outright speed.
“The good thing is the feeling is coming back, especially after what happened at Barcelona,” he said.
Through To Q2 Again
A strong performance in Q1 saw Buchanan finish third and comfortably progress through to Q2 for the third time this season.
The 18-year-old felt he had even more speed available than his final qualifying position suggested.
After making mistakes on his first run, Buchanan set a competitive lap while riding alone and then believed he had found even more pace on his final attempt, only to discover the session had already ended.
“I crossed the finish line and thought I still had another lap to go because I didn’t have anything on my dash telling me I had finished the session,” he explained.
“Unfortunately, it didn’t count but it did give me confidence for the race.”
Pace Better Than Result
The race itself ultimately proved frustrating.
Buchanan settled into the large lead group and remained within striking distance of the front runners for much of the contest, but the constant battling throughout the pack prevented him from making full use of his pace.
At one point he was sitting just two seconds behind the leaders and repeatedly able to close gaps when he found clear track ahead.
However, as the race entered its closing stages, the group splintered and Buchanan’s hopes of launching a charge towards the front disappeared.
“The race was frustrating for me. I had a lot of pace and a lot of rhythm but I wasn’t able to use it,” he said.
“It’s upsetting for sure because I truly believe I had the pace to be right in the mix today.”
He eventually crossed the line in 19th place, just 5.7 seconds behind the race winner.
Hungry For Hungary
Despite the disappointment of missing out on points, Buchanan is taking plenty of positives away from Mugello.
Most importantly, he feels the pace and confidence that characterised his early-season performances are beginning to return.
“We are certainly a lot stronger than when we entered the weekend and we made a step forward,” he said.
The Moto3 championship heads straight to Hungary this week, and Buchanan says the frustration of Mugello is only adding to his motivation.
“For Hungary I’m really motivated because this result leaves me frustrated as I know it’s nowhere near what I could have done today.” “No excuses – we put our heads down and keep working because we’ve got a lot to prove and I know we are going to do it. I’m ready to fight and you could definitely say I’m hungry for Hungary.”
Photos: Manu Tormo
