- Cormac secured 20th overall in his rookie Moto3 season, with three top-10 finishes and points in nine races.
- Battled injury, crashes and late-season struggles but showed genuine front-running pace at multiple rounds.
- Says he’s “learned a lot” and is focused on making a bigger step forward in 2026 with the Denssi BOE Motorsports team.
Cormac Buchanan has closed out his debut Moto3 World Championship season with a 20th-place finish in the standings, ending a year he describes as “a rollercoaster” but one that ultimately delivered far more positives than negatives.
The 18-year-old Southlander arrived at Valencia hoping to finish strong, but the final round proved challenging as he battled a slump in form and a painful crash early in the weekend. Despite the frustrating finale, Buchanan remains proud of what he achieved in his rookie campaign with the Denssi BOE Motorsports squad.
“I expected highs and lows stepping into this championship against the best in the world,” he said. “You always hope for more highs than lows, but those tough weekends teach you the most. They’ll make me a stronger racer.”
And when he looks at the big picture, Buchanan’s numbers speak for themselves.
He finished 20th overall out of 40 riders, logged three top-10 results, scored points in nine races, and made multiple Q2 appearances.
“We’ve been in the fight with the leaders at times this year — even in the mix for podiums on some weekends,” he said. “Without the DNFs it could have been higher, but I’m taking a lot of positives away from this season.”
One major setback came mid-year when a knee injury at Brno stalled his momentum. The final flyaway rounds brought more struggles as the team worked to diagnose a loss of feeling and confidence on the bike.
The final round was no easier. Valencia’s first practice session was marred by oil on the track, and Buchanan was one of the unlucky riders to hit it.
“With the luck I’ve been having lately, I hit the oil, crashed, and the bike hit me in the back. I missed all the laps in FP1, and from there you’re on the back foot,” he said.
Despite rallying in FP2, the weekend never quite turned around.
“Saturday and even Sunday were just so difficult. I just didn’t have that good feeling. It’s frustrating because at times we’ve been really fast this year — but weekends like this remind you how tough this class is.”
Still, he’s not letting the last round overshadow an otherwise strong rookie campaign.
“It’s been an incredible year — one of the best of my life,” Buchanan said. “I’ve learned so much. Now I want to take those lessons and make another big step in 2026.”
With the talent he’s shown throughout his first full Grand Prix season, few would bet against him doing exactly that.
Pics: Michael Wincott Photography
