Buchanan finishes 16th at Motegi, just 3 seconds shy of the top 10 in his Japanese debut.
Showed strong pace in the wet and dry, battling hard after a difficult race start.
Confident momentum builder ahead of the Indonesian GP at Mandalika, October 3–5.
Japan’s demanding Motegi circuit provided a new challenge for New Zealand grand prix racer Cormac Buchanan.
Round 17 of the Moto3 World Championship saw the Southlander finish 16th in yesterday’s race, just 3 seconds from 10th place, reflecting the intensity of the battle which ensued.
“Step by step getting back to where we want. It’s a tough pill to swallow finishing so close to the points having battled in the group fighting for P10. It definitely stings a bit,” Buchanan said.
“The race wasn’t smooth sailing for majority of the time. A bad launch away from the line meant I had to play catch up from the first laps. When the rain started to come down, I managed to overtake lots of riders, catch the second group and be in the hunt from there.
“When the track dried out the pace came back up again, and I felt comfortable sitting where I was. Although the group fight was very hard and I got punted wide heading onto the back straight, I lost a few seconds there and then again had to try comeback to the group.
“I definitely felt I had the speed to latch back onto them but I got caught up battling with another rider and by the time I overtook him the gap was too big to close with only three laps remaining.
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“It’s a shame as it was a good opportunity for me to score some solid points as we were just 3 seconds from the 10th but still there’s many things to be happy about looking back on the race. It feels good to be back fighting for the top ten in the group after many races struggling.”
The unique Motegi layout combines very strong braking with fast curves – a cocktail that always punishes the debutants. However, Buchanan made the most of every lap and continually improved his times significantly throughout the weekend.
During Saturday’s qualifying, Buchanan finished fourth to book a coveted place in Q2.
“The weekend as a whole has been a big step forward from the last ones which is what we are aiming for as we look to be better than before every time. We are working to get some momentum back and we’ve found our direction and process that we want to work in,” he said.
“It doesn’t just happen overnight and it will take time, but together with my team and crew we will work hard to get back to the positions we deserve and have shown we are capable of. We know it’s coming, just a matter of time.
“Indonesia next weekend is another new chance to keep chipping away.”
Buchanan now prepares for the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia at the Mandalika International Circuit in Lombok from October 3-5.
Photo credit: Manu Tormo
AloJapan.com