Young Kiwi Cormac Buchanan readying for 2026 Moto3 season

Moto3 2026

Cormac Buchanan

New Zealand grand prix motorcycle racer Cormac Buchanan is returning to Spain, determined to further cement his place in the hotly-contested Moto3 World Championship.

The Invercargill teen embarks on his second season with BOE Motorsports for the 22-round contest staged across 18 countries from February to November.

Buchanan has spent the past six weeks preparing for the gruelling schedule ahead.

“Physically, I feel in the best shape I’ve ever been. Now the focus is on further increasing the bike fit component when I get back to Spain.

“Honestly, it was just good to do nothing for the first two weeks. I really needed that break after a difficult end to the season and the biggest championship I had ever raced in terms of the number of rounds and the distances involved all around the world. I admit I needed the time to reset.

“After the break enforced by my trainer, I was ready to give it everything and leave no stone unturned as we prepare for this new campaign.

“I’ve been doing a lot both on and off the bikes, making the most of my time here, so getting onto that plane tomorrow for Spain, I know I have done everything possible as far as New Zealand goes to put myself into the best position. Now I will continue to build on that with even more intensity.”

Cormac Buchanan – 2025 – Red Bull Ring

Racing opportunities were limited to a Southland Motorcycle Club event at Teretonga in December and a recent outing at Ruapuna, near Christchurch, with the KMD Racing team on its Yamaha R6.

“There’s something special about the vibe and camaraderie in the kiwi paddock, so it’s always nice to be back amongst it. I was hoping to get back for MotoFest and round three of NZSBK at Hampton Downs in March because the racing is going to be epic, but unfortunately, the schedule is too tight.

“I had to resist the urge to relax, though, as the focus must always be to do the best job possible. While it might not be a big event, I felt it was important mentally to treat it like a high-level championship because that’s what’s going to make the difference – just ruthlessly racing all the time.

“Every time I go on the track, I want to perform to the best of my abilities, and that’s why I was able to battle with the superbikes on my 600. It gave me a really good challenge and reignited the fire.”

Cormac Buchanan – 2025 – Thailand

Buchanan delivered some encouraging stats in his rookie season, earning 32 championship points with three top 10 finishes, nine Q2 appearances and a best placing of ninth at Sachsenring, where he was just 1.8 seconds from victory. However, a knee injury at Brno just a week later took its toll, and the latter half of the year proved challenging as he struggled to regain his form.

“Heading into the new season, that intimidation you often feel as a rookie is gone. I deserve my place in the world championship, and New Zealand deserves to have a kiwi racing in the world championship – I’m determined to prove it.

“My goal is to do the best job possible on any given weekend. I had really good moments last year, but I want that to now be the platform we build up from. I want the best version of myself from last year to just be the average version this year – we need to take it up a notch.

“That’s easier said than done in the Moto3 world championship because it is some of the most brutal and intense racing on the planet. I want to be consistently battling in the front group.

“I have a lot of goals for 2026, and I know those goals won’t happen if I don’t execute this season strongly to the best of my abilities.”

Cormac Buchanan with Crew Chief Pable Andrino

A plethora of valuable lessons adds to his reinforced arsenal.

“I’ve been thinking about the learnings from last year a lot and discussing with my inner circle what needs to change, and we’ve identified the key points going into this season. I know I’m in a better shape than I was going into last season and at any point during it, so that box is already ticked off.

“Now it’s just going to come down to my team and I doing a good job and making sure that even on our difficult days, we are working as a team and all doing our respective roles well. I’m so ready to get back with my team and into the Moto3 paddock so we can get to work.

“I’m excited to be racing again in a high-level competition with the sheer intensity that comes with it. I was fast last year, and I know I’m a better person, a better rider and a better athlete now, so I’m excited to see how that stacks up against the best in the world.”

Official pre-season testing will be held in Portugal and Spain before the opening round in Thailand at the end of February.

Cormac Buchanan – 2025 – Le Mans

“The track I really can’t wait to get back to is Brno. That was shaping up as my best weekend last year, but obviously it all came unstuck. You could say I have unfinished business there.

“Then there’s some races like Germany where I had my best result, but I know I didn’t do a good race there, at least in my opinion, so I’m looking forward to going back there and doing it better.

“When you go into your second season, you have all of the previous data from your rookie year available at each track, so that sets your benchmark, and you can use it as a target to beat. There are some tracks where, if I do that, anything is possible.

“It’s not just the racing but everything that comes with MotoGP, like the cool atmosphere in Texas and a new country on the calendar like Brazil. I’m ready for it.”

Cormac Buchanan scored a top ten finish at Sachsenring in 2025

2026 MotoGP Calendar