Latest news with #Moto3
The Citizen
27-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Ruché Moodley hopes low-key return puts him in good stead
Moto3 star rides through the pain at British Grand Prix after undergoing arm operation. Teenage Moto3 sensation Ruché Moodley hopes to bounce back strongly in Aragon next weekend after a rather low-key return from injury at the British Grand Prix. The 18-year-old BOE Motorsport rider suffered a fractured radius in his right arm during practice ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix last month. He had to undergo an operation which included a titanium plate and half a dozen screws. He watched the French MotoGP on television before getting the green flag to race at Silverstone last weekend. Moodley kept a low profile at the end of the field at Silverstone. He was still regaining his fitness and served two long-lap penalties for causing the collision at Jerez which caused his injury. He qualified in 21st place and rode through the pain to finish 20th. ALSO READ: Binder: Sleeping at home and racing at Kyalami will be 'sick' Ruché Moodley plays it safe 'We made a decision that I would stay out of trouble on the opening laps. If I crashed or was taken out, my penalty laps would be carried over to the next race. So I took it easy at the start and dropped a few positions on the opening lap,' Moodley told Double Apex. 'I took my penalty laps early in the race, on lap two and three, as I figured the field would be most bunched up then. I struggled later on because I lost a lot of feeling in my arm. It started to feel numb so it was difficult to feel what the bike was doing. 'I don't have the strength that I had before to muscle the bike around, since I could only start moving my arm in the week leading up to the race. It lost strength after being immobilised for three weeks.' ALSO READ: Who is Ruché Moodley? Meet South Africa's new Moto3 sensation The Gqeberha-born Moodley made a sensational start to his Moto3 career by finishing 11th in his first race in Thailand to earn five points. He went on to finish in the points in three of his first four races before missing the fifth and sixth rounds of the season. He is 23rd in the championship on nine points and is confident he can fight for points again at the Aragon Grand Prix. 'The plan now is to build up the strength in my hand,' he continued. 'I will be much stronger in two weeks when we get to Aragon. I am looking forward to riding that incredible circuit.'
The Herald
26-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald
Painful Silverstone race for Ruche Moodley
Ruche Moodley made a welcome return to the Moto3 world championship at Silverstone after missing the sixth round, having fractured the radius in his right arm in round five. The 18-year-old Gqeberha rider was given the green light to race in the Silverstone Grand Prix by the FIM medical team. 'I was really happy when the FIM medical team gave me clearance to race this weekend, as I was really frustrated watching the French GP from my couch at home, and it's great to be back on the bike,' Moodley said. 'I have been training almost from the day I got back from the hospital, so I knew my fitness wasn't going to be a problem. But my arm was still quite sore.' The weekend started in a positive manner as Moodley felt good on the bike and delivered competitive lap times, despite still nursing his injured dominant arm. He had a steady qualifying session, managing his tyres and the pain in his arm to place his BOE Motorsports machine in 21st position in the huge Moto3 field. He also had to serve a double long-lap penalty for his role in an incident at the Spanish Grand Prix, which resulted in the fractured arm, so he had a mountain to climb. 'Silverstone is such a high-speed circuit, both with long straights and fast, flowing corners,' Moodley said. 'It really is a physical track that demands a lot of riders. So, we had made a decision that I would stay out of trouble on the opening laps. 'If I crashed or was taken out, my penalty laps would be carried over to the next race. 'So, I took it easy at the start and dropped a few positions on the opening lap. 'This race, for me, was all about getting to the finish line more than anything else. 'I took my penalty laps early in the race, on laps two and three, as I figured the field would be most bunched up then. 'With those two laps done, I kept my head down. I had to focus on the track and getting to the end. 'I struggled later on because I lost a lot of feeling in my arm. It started to feel numb, so it was difficult to feel what the bike was doing. 'I don't have the strength that I had before to muscle the bike around, since I could only start moving my arm in the week leading up to the race. It was immobilised for three weeks and lost strength.' Moodley had a rather lonely race as the front pack set a blistering pace. He steadily worked his way up from 24th to finish 20th when the checkered flag was waved. 'That felt like the longest race of my life. In the second part of the race, I was pretty much on my own, just counting down the laps. 'I was trying not to think about the pain, I was really glad to see the checkered flag. 'The plan now is to build up the strength in my hand. 'I will be much stronger in two weeks when we get to Aragon. I am looking forward to riding that incredible circuit,' he said. The Herald
Otago Daily Times
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Otago Daily Times
‘Massive honour' to win awards: Buchanan
Cormac Buchanan made his Moto3 World Championship debut in Thailand earlier this year. PHOTO: MANU TORMO Southland rider Cormac Buchanan scooped two big awards at the Motorcycling New Zealand awards in Wellington on Saturday. Buchanan, who is currently competing in the Moto3 World Championship, was named male rider of the year and best up and coming road rider at the awards. Southland rider Jack Symon was also a finalist. Buchanan's two awards are testament to his breakthrough year in 2024 where he successfully defended the 600 SuperSport Championship title at NZSBK before returning to Europe where he claimed three podiums and a pole position at the FIM JuniorGP world championship, ultimately earning him a Moto3 contract. "It's a massive honour to win both of these awards," Buchanan said. "When you look on the Male Rider of the Year trophy and see your name now engraved beside riders like Jake Lewis and Shane Richardson, it is really humbling. "I've been lucky enough to learn from both of them, not only as a racer but as a person." It was a big night for the Southland Motorcycle Club, which was named club of the year for delivering the Burt Munro Challenge. "It was proud night for the club and fantastic to see everyone's hard work recognised," president Bill Moffatt said. "Like the majority of sporting clubs throughout New Zealand, ours is run by passionate volunteers and this award is a credit to them and the countless hours each puts in so our riders can do what they love. "Cormac and Jack are both incredibly talented racers who represent our club in their respective disciplines with a high degree of professionalism and we are naturally proud of their latest achievements." First staged in 2006, the Burt Munro Challenge has established itself as the largest motorcycle rally in the southern hemisphere. Last year, a round of the New Zealand Superbike Championship (NZSBK) was incorporated into the mix, adding another element for the club to run successfully. Buchanan has acted as an ambassador for the Burt Munro Challenge for the past six years. "Regardless of where I'm racing around the world, I just have to glance down at that Burt Munro logo on my leathers for a little piece of home so it's amazing to have their support throughout this journey," Buchanan said. "The Southland club has played a massive part in my racing — they were the first to encourage me on to the track and have been right behind me ever since. "I'm an incredibly proud Southlander." — APL
NZ Herald
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Herald
Scott Dixon aims for second Indy 500 win amidst tricky conditions
Dixon went on to explain that the introduction of the hybrid engines this year has upset the balance of the car to a certain degree. Drivers have to be aware that at the extraordinarily high speeds (up to 380km/h) attained at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the smallest of issues will result in a heart-in-the-mouth scare. 'The added weight from the hybrid [engine] is making it a bit more difficult, I think. There's so much weight and it's all at the back of the car, so when the car decides to go [starts sliding], it's much more difficult to try and catch it because it's just like a big pendulum. It just sort of swings around behind you. 'I wouldn't say you have to change your driving style too much; it's more about the car set-up. When the car goes, it's very difficult to get it back. In the past, you probably could have saved it [sliding], but it's much more difficult with the hybrid,' he said. Six-time IndyCar champion Dixon holds more category records than you can poke a stick at, including the all-time event record of leading the most laps (677). Just to prove his dominance at the most daunting of racetracks, the next best total is held by Helio Castroneves at 326 laps. Dixon may have had his likeness immortalised on the Borg Warner only once (2008), but his record at the speedway is impressive over the past 23 years. He's been on pole five times, finished 14 times inside the top 10 and been on the podium six times. Unlike last year, where he and his Chip Ganassi Racing team qualified 21st, this year he qualified on the second row in fourth. 'The car's fast this year, and I was a bit disappointed with the fast six. We were aggressive and pretty trimmed out, but the speed wasn't really there. Discover more Motorsport 'Consistency is the key': Payne on title hopes ahead of Tasmania round 09 May 05:45 PM Motorsport Dixon seeks elusive Barber victory in tight IndyCar season 02 May 02:45 AM Motorsport Kiwi teen bucks the trend in tough Moto3 world championships 01 May 08:00 PM Motorsport Hartley eyes success in Imola after tough start to endurance season 19 Apr 03:00 AM 'We were conservative in the last 12 to get to the fast six. We made a jump with the car for the fast six, but it never really happened. 'We had the same issues in practice when sometimes the car wasn't what we expected. Maybe the conditions affected the car or something, we didn't really know,' Dixon said. 'Qualifying fourth is good. [Takuma] Sato was a bit of a surprise [qualified second] and [Robert] Shwartzman getting on pole, we don't really understand. That car was so fast – kind of weird, and he wasn't even flat-out lifting a couple of times. 'The sister car was quite a few miles an hour slower – just a bit strange,' said Dixon. Any number of drivers can win an Indianapolis 500 – and over the years, cars starting towards the back of the grid have ended up crossing the line in first. In the past, drivers and teams could rely on mechanical dramas to mix things up, but not so much these days. You now have to have an almost perfect race day, including strategy, pit stops, avoiding trouble, having safety cars fall in your favour and plain good luck. 'If all the above are aligned, you'll be there or thereabout towards the end to make a push for the winner's circle. Advertise with NZME. 'Last year [finished third], we almost had the perfect race until the Will Power accident and if the race had run green until the end of the race we were in a much better position on fuel strategy. 'However, on the restart the two Chevies went past as we didn't have the speed last year, and qualifying 21st didn't help either. The car handled well, but we didn't have the speed. 'This year we have the speed, so if the same thing happens, we should be in a better position,' said Dixon. Scott Dixon Indy500 fast facts Scott Dixon is a generational IndyCar driver and at 44 is still setting records. Most wins by an active driver: Dixon has 58 career victories, making him the active driver with most wins and second on the all-time IndyCar win list behind A.J. Foyt's 67 wins. Second-most championships: His tally of six IndyCar Series championships (2003, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2020) is the second highest in series history, just one behind A.J. Foyt's seven titles. Most consecutive starts: Dixon holds the record for the most consecutive starts in IndyCar history, with 339 consecutive races and 407 starts in total. Most seasons with a victory: He has won at least one race in 20 consecutive seasons, the longest such streak in IndyCar history. Most Indianapolis 500 pole positions: He has six pole positions, tying the all-time record held by Rick Mears. Longest team tenure: He marked his 24th season with Chip Ganassi Racing, making it the longest tenure for any driver in a single team. Recognition: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit and then made Companion. Twice New Zealand Sportsman of the Year. Inducted into the Motorsport New Zealand Hall of Fame, Road to Indy Hall of Fame and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. The mayor of Indianapolis declared September 24, 2018 as Scott Dixon Day.
IOL News
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
Surgery to Silverstone: SA star Ruchè Moodley is back on Moto3 track
Ruché Moodley Ruché Moodley during his fourth race in his debut Moto3 season. Photo: BOE Motorsports Image: BOE Motorsports He's blowing up metal detectors all over Spain right now because of the six screws and titanium plate that's holding together his fractured wrist. But all that South African Moto3 rider Ruchè Moodley can think about is getting back on the starting grid. About a month ago, Moodley suffered a nasty crash during the opening lap of the Spanish Grand Prix. His bike had mechanical issues and lost its brakes into Turn 6 at Circuit de Jerez, a low speed corner. Moodley ended up colliding with David Almansa and David Munoz. After he was checked up, it was found that Moodley had suffered a fractured radius on his right hand, which controls the accelerator. The 18-year-old was in surgery the next day in Barcelona – about five hours away from his European base in Alicante, Spain. A titanium plate and six screws were implanted to reset the fracture. But with a surgery of this magnitude, especially in motorsports, the healing and recovery process is paramount to regaining confidence on the track. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Problem is, try telling a teenager with octane in his blood that he has had to sit out a few races. Moodley was forced to miss one of the most history-rich and iconic circuits on his calendar – Le Mans in France. 'It was really frustrating not to be able to race. From the moment I returned from the hospital, I started training again. I was on the static training bicycle to maintain my fitness levels. We also started physio the moment I regained enough strength,' the Eastern Cape-born athlete explained. A few weeks into his rehabilitation, Moodley was given the green light to race again by a Spanish doctor. He was also given the all clear by the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme or FIM – which is the overseeing body of the league.
