Ten With… Danny Buchan
Past, present and future with the new BMW rider
FB: After a strong 2019, last year didn’t go to plan for you, and it looked like you were struggling on the Kawasaki. Why was that?
DB: “I struggled with a few things internally really, mainly around how we were getting the bike set up and a few things like that.
“It was quite strange because I was qualifying well and wasn’t racing as good, and it didn’t help that because of Covid, we missed a lot of the good tracks I like, such as Cadwell – it meant that I didn’t have those confidence boosts to take me into the tracks where we were slightly weaker.
“I just never felt comfortable, and I never really got going.”
FB: You’ve spent a lot of time on Kawasakis in the past, with just a few other machines in the mix. How do you feel about the move to BMW?
DB: “I feel quite happy to be honest. I’m older now and it sounds silly but I know exactly what I want underneath me, whereas before, maybe, I lacked that bit of experience.
“With what BMW have done with the M 1000 RR, the bike looks ready to win, and I know for a fact that TAS have serious aspirations for this year. They didn’t have the best year last year, I didn’t have the best year last year, and we both want to get back to winning ways. I really do feel like the package is there to do so – that was a big motivating factor for this year.”
FB: Was the move something you felt you needed, or was it more right place, right time?
“As a rider, you always chat to people, you know teams chat to riders and vice versa, that’s just the riders’ market. I always speak to Phillip (TAS Racing), and for one reason or another, we’ve now actually done a deal. In my head, I felt like I needed a change, and it’s a fast sport; if you aren’t performing, you’re out. I couldn’t afford that, and I feel like it’s been the right move – I haven’t even swung a leg over the new M 1000 RR yet and I already feel really appreciated by BMW.”
FB: So where do you see the future? Is it in BSB, WSBK, or the GP scene?
“Realistically, I’m too tall for 600s or Moto2, and too heavy as well – they’re around the 64kg mark, and I’m 78kg even though I’m built like a chip!
“I don’t really see my path being in GP because I know how fickle it is with the amount of seats, where you’re from, and really, jumping from Moto2 to MotoGP is the way to go. I’d love to go to World Superbikes before I retire, and the difference between BSB and WSBK specs isn’t too far – that would be the goal for me, and it’s realistic.”
FB: And is there any scope for progress within BMW, like a move into World Superbike?
“Nothing contractually – I’ve spoken to Phillip about Suzuka, as I’d love to be there if there was good deal to be had. With World Superbike, it’s about being in the right place at the right time. If I do a good job in BSB, I’d love to have the opportunity, but nothing is set in stone so I’m just concentrating on going fast.”
FB: Go on then, would you rather stick in BSB on a top-rate package or move to Worlds but in a second-rate team?
“For a career choice, that’s hard! It depends on a lot of things. It’s always worth looking at the information, the components, the team – look at what Rinaldi has done in World Superbike. He put in the performance, and therefore he got a factory ride.
“I’m not going to sit and pretend that it doesn’t matter financially, because it does – my family depend on me, so I couldn’t ditch a strong package here for nothing, either. My goal is to be in World Superbikes by the time I’m 30, and I’m 27 now… so hopefully it will come soon, following a good year this year.”
FB: It’s not long now until the official tests. With only five days on track, you don’t have a massive amount of time on the bike before round one. Will that be enough, and will everything be ready in time?
“Pft, it’s not my job to work that out! No I’m just kidding. We know we have to do it, and it will happen. The team are awesome.
“Five days, with open pitlanes as well mean that we really can put in a lot of laps – sure, there’s a lot we won’t be able to touch on, but as long as we have a solid base setting, I’ll be more than happy.
“It’s little things as well, like getting comfortable within the team and with the Crew Chief – I’ve got some trackdays booked where my new Crew Chief is going to come over and we’re going to work together on my road bike, just to get comfortable working together. I’m not overly fussy with what I want; I just like the bike to be responsive, and comfortable, so if we can get there, I’ll be happy.”
FB: Do you think the M 1000 RR has what it takes to win in BSB?
“I think so, yeah. Looking at it now, it just looks the bullocks, like BMW have come out and just said screw it, let’s throw everything at it this year and win. Of course, there’s going to be teething issues, but that’s always going to be the case with a new bike – I’m just excited for the prospect, because I’ve never truly had the opportunity to start fresh with a new machine, and that’s what this is right now; I can take it and put it in exactly the direction I want. There are other teams running BMW M 1000 RRs, but being the factory supported team, we need to be up the sharp end and beating everyone else.
“Of course, the dream would be to rock up at round one and win, so that’s what we’re aiming for… but I’m not putting pressure on myself and the team to do that straight away.
“But by the end of the year, if we can be consistently up the sharp end, then that’s what we need. Both Andrew and I have won races before as well, so we’re planning on doing that again!”
FB: What’s your relationship like with Andrew?
“We get on. We Whatsapp each other and chat, but of course we want to beat each other; we’re teammates, and that’s natural.
“To get to that point though, we need to use each other. If he’s having a downer in qualifying, for example, I’d want to work with him to get both bikes up the sharp end – then, in the race, it’s anyone’s game, and he feels the same.
“He knows the Honda team, and how their bike worked, and I know the Kawasaki team, and how the Kawasaki worked. Even things like strategies will make all the difference, having those little ideas.
“We can take the strong points of both of those bikes and hopefully culminate that to make the strong points of the BMW even stronger.”
FB: And do you feel happy within yourself?
“Yeah, do you know what, I’m involved in a few things outside of racing, which makes a massive difference. Racing is one of my incomes, but I dabble in a few things – a lot of riders are super stressed, and get wound up because it’s all they have, meaning they put too much pressure on themselves. I just enjoy my riding, and that makes me go faster and be more relaxed, I think.
“It might be to do with having kids, as it made me realise there’s more to life than two wheels, but there is no better feeling.
“Of course, Covid hasn’t helped, and I can’t wait for all of this to be over… usually, at this time of year I would’ve just done a shed-load of laps out in Spain right now!”