Cormac Buchanan

Early career

Buchanan was born in Invercargill, New Zealand. He started racing in Junior Speedway at Oreti Park speedway in his home town. He quickly established that he was one of the best young talents in Junior Speedway.

In 2018 however, Buchanan decided to switch to Road Racing. He began his road racing career in the Oceania Junior Cup in Australia in 2019 at the age of 12. While he was unlucky to not take any race wins, from not long into the season he was regularly competing in the lead group.

Following the OJC season, Buchanan began racing in New Zealand, given he was now old enough at 13, in the New Zealand Superbike Championship 150Supersport Class.

In 2020, Buchanan won all, but one, races to take his first NZSBK championship.

In 2021, Buchanan defended this title, alongside winning the 300Supersport title, the most competitive class in NZ racing.

In 2022, Buchanan defended his 300Supersport title alongside winning the 600Supersport title and in 2024 he defended his 600Supersport title. This means he now has six NZSBK class titles to his name, one of the best records of any NZ racer, and one of the only riders to take two titles in one season, several times.

Buchanan was selected to compete in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup for the 2021 season.^[1] In his debut season in the series, Buchanan did not score points, achieving a best result of sixteenth place at the Sachsenring. During this 2021 season Buchanan also competed in the British Talent Cup with the Microlise Cresswell Racing team. He scored three podium finishes that season, on circuits and a bike he had never previously seen. This season was also noted for absences due to Rookies Cup event clashes.

In 2022, in addition to competing in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, Buchanan contested the European Talent Cup with the AGR Team, where later in the season he was promoted to the FIM JuniorGP World Championship replacing Italian Mattia Volpi.^[2]

Buchanan renewed his contract with the AGR Team for 2023, competing in both the JuniorGP World Championship and the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.^[3] His best result in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup was fifth place at the second round at Le Mans. In the JuniorGP World Championship, his best result was fourth place in the second race held in Jerez.

Buchanan renewed his contract with the AGR Team for the 2024 season of the JuniorGP World Championship.^[4] That season, he achieved his first podium in the category in the second race held in Misano, in addition to getting his first pole position 56 and another third place in Estoril.^[5][6]

Moto3 World Championship

On 17 November 2024, Boé Motorsports announced the signing of Buchanan for the 2025 season of the Moto3 World Championship, becoming the first New Zealand rider to compete full-time in Moto3 and the first full-time New Zealand rider in the MotoGP paddock since Simon Crafar.^[7][8][9]

Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

European Talent Cup

FIM JuniorGP World Championship

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Grand Prix motorcycle racing