While Italy’s iconic Mugello Circuit proved a challenging foe, New Zealand motorcycle racer Cormac Buchanan managed to add to his Moto3 World Championship points tally.
In a drama-filled race, the 18-year-old Southlander overcame a tough qualifying position to finish P15 and bank another valuable world championship point.
“I’ve finished the weekend in Mugello a bit dissatisfied to be honest as the final result doesn’t reflect our true work done,” he said.
“We worked really hard on riding alone all weekend, even if we knew it wouldn’t be ideal for qualifying with the track layout and windy conditions. This left me down in 23rd position.
“Despite being far down the grid, honestly I wasn’t too worried as in FP2 where we concentrate on race pace and things like this, I was able to stay super-fast and consistent which I knew would help me come Sunday’s race.”
Buchanan again demonstrated his evolution and consistency in the main event. Throughout the race he was within the competitive group, with clear options to fight for another strong result.
However, a series of falls in the last laps by other riders forced Buchanan to take evasive action, impacting his connection with the lead bunch and the opportunity to achieve a better final result.
“In the race I was able to again execute a strong start and managed to go up to P18 in two corners, latching onto the front group and moving my way forward into the battle for the win. It was a lot of fun,” he recalled.
“Adopting a similar strategy to the one which paid off in Aragon, I stayed patient and calm, waiting for around eight laps to go to make my charge forward. I started this advance being less than a second from the leader, but then a rider crashed in front of me and I had to take avoiding action.
“This separated me from the leading group and with it went my podium aspirations. A shame as I was feeling really comfortable and overtaking felt like it was coming easy. I had to work my way back through the group and finally managed P15 in the end which, when you consider our grid position, is still a solid effort and retains my run of scoring points in every race I’ve finished this season.
“These things happen in racing, but I know much more was possible today. I’m glad I showed two races in a row I belong battling in that lead pack. In Assen this weekend the goal remains the same and I am looking forward to showing my true potential.”
As his rookie season continues, Buchanan remains committed to the overall strategy of his Denssi BOE Motorsports team.
“It might be hard to see from an outside perspective at times but there is a bigger picture here in terms of my overall development as a racer and we know the results will arrive with perseverance. We need to trust the process, not rush the process,” Buchanan said.
“On a weekend that has been difficult at certain points we can be happy with our race performance. Now there’s no time to rest as we get ready to tackle the first of the double headers on the race calendar with Assen this coming weekend. I’m looking forward to continuing the work on this trajectory, as well focusing on achieving the next step with my incredible team.”
