- Kiwi Moto3 rookie Cormac Buchanan crashes out midway through the Catalunya Grand Prix.
- Showed strong pace in qualifying, advancing to Q2 despite a tough start to the weekend.
- Focus shifts to Misano as he looks to bounce back before the MotoGP Asian tour.
A challenging run of form recently has New Zealand grand prix racer Cormac Buchanan searching for answers.
Sunday’s Catalunya Grand Prix ended prematurely for the Southland teenager when he crashed out of contention halfway through the Moto3 World Championship race.
“It’s incredibly frustrating to end another race like this. My team and I have been working so hard and we deserve to have a decent result but it’s just not coming together for me at those crucial times right at the moment,” he said.
“We need to find a solution fast because our fortunes must change.”
The weekend got off to a difficult start as a competitive pace eluded Buchanan during Friday’s practice sessions. However, a positive change on Saturday delivered an improvement in both pace and confidence.
In qualifying, Buchanan made it through to Q2, setting a great time that reflected the progress made in his setup and showing character in the toughest moments.
“We made a big step forward and it was great to see that rewarded by earning a place in Q2. While I struggled to position myself well in the group, my pace was strong on my own which bode well for the race,” he said.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t get to capitalise on that as the demands of the race unfolded. I just couldn’t emulate the feeling I had in qualifying which made the race a tough battle right from the start.
“No racer ever goes out there to crash and this one really hurts in the sense of letting my team down. I am just so grateful for the belief they have in me as we work together with their experience to get my rookie season back on track.
“We’ve achieved some fantastic results already and I want us to feel that sense of achievement again as we get back into the hunt for points.”
Without a break, the team is now heading to Misano, Italy, to face the last Grand Prix in Europe before embarking on MotoGP’s Asian tour.
