Big 10 Questions With...Cormac Buchanan

The Vodafone Southland Junior sportsperson of the year in 2021, Cormac Buchanan is about to tackle a second full season racing in Europe. As well as lining up for leading Spanish outfit AGR Racing to compete in the Hawkers European Talent Cup at the FIM JuniorGP, he’ll return to the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup ranks after impressing in his debut season racing the Moto3 machines last year.

SouthlandSport Monthly: What’s the thing you are most proud of from last year’s campaign in Europe and Britain?

Cormac Buchanan: One of the proudest things for me was the kiwi icon on my helmet and seeing it back in the MotoGP representing as legends like Hugh Anderson and Kim Newcombe before me did. From a racing perspective, I was just 1.6 seconds from pole position in Austria against the fastest young riders in the world which I was pretty stoked with. In the British Talent Cup, my proudest moment was coming from P14 in the pouring rain at Donington and bridging a 19-second gap to earn second overall.

SSM: Any pinch-yourself moments while you were over there?

CB: At Mugello in Italy, I had to go to the medical centre at the track for treatment and found myself sitting between Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez. Talk about being surrounded by greatness. It was a pretty surreal moment when I think about it now but at the time it was just three guys who clearly weren’t having the best day on track.

SSM: Spending months travelling across a continent in a motorhome with your Dad must have been quite the experience, what were the highlights?

CB: I loved travelling through the French Alps and Scotland was pretty cool as that’s where our family heritage is. Navigating narrow European streets in a 9m Winnebago was one heck of an adventure in itself – we lost a couple of wing mirrors along the way. And it was always entertaining watching Dad adjust to my playlist.

SSM: What did you miss the most about home while you were away?

CB: Definitely my dog Ollie and the family.

SSM: What have you been up to over the summer, what has your racing programme looked like?

CB: A lot of our racing plans were cancelled due to Covid, including the NZ Superbike Championships, which made it a tough summer with limited track time. We got innovative though and my Yamaha Racing Team boss Josh Coppins sent me a YZ125 dirt bike to train on so that was a blast. Fitness has been a real focus with my strength and conditioning coach Tyson at the Mike Piper Training Centre. We have worked so hard over the summer break, not just physically but mentally, and I feel I am the best prepared I have ever been. Now it is up to me to make what seemed impossible at some point happen. It’s time to work harder than ever before to achieve my goals.

SSM: What are your big goals for the coming season?

CB: It would be nice to board the flight home as a world champion! Last year was massive in terms of learning, adjusting to the environment, to riding new bikes on unfamiliar circuits and the intensity of racing on the world stage. This year I can focus on my racing performance and I want to make an impact.

SSM: What’s the best piece of racing advice you’ve received and who did it come from?

CB: It’s not racing advice as such but growing up with mum involved with the Southern Steel, I remember Wendy Frew saying ‘train harder than you play’ so I always aim to do that.

SSM: Do you ever get scared when you are racing?

CB: I get nervous before every race but that’s a good thing as it’s like my brain is going through an important checklist. I never get scared. People watching see us flying around the track at high speed with our helmets just millimetres from the asphalt, but for me it’s kind of like everything is in slow motion out there. You’re that focused on whatyou need to do at every corner and every stage of the race.

SSM: The whole family are going to be joining you for this campaign, what’s that going to be like?

CB: It will be great to have everyone there this year and not be separated on opposite sides of the world. Life will feel more settled and normal and I will have the support I need. It’s one heck of a family adventure with racing in seven countries on the agenda.

SSM: What’s the big dream for you in terms of where you want to go with your racing?

CB: Ultimately my dream is to live in Europe racing MotoGP.