Strong showing from Buchanan in Spanish round
SOUTHLAND flyer Cormac Buchanan has had an exceptional weekend on the world stage.
Buchanan came within a whisker of a jawdropping result in the latest round of the JuniorGP World Championship in Spain.
The Invercargill rider had finishes of fourth and fifth at the Jerez de la Frontera track for his AGR team.
Fourth can be a frustrating placing, given it was so close to the podium, but for Buchanan it was another reminder he is among the very best young riders in the world in a cutthroat sport.
In that race — the second of two at the weekend — he was just 0.06sec off third place, and 0.3sec off first.
He started well but spent half the race in the second group before a devastating final sprint took him into the lead with two laps to go.
His fifth in race one, after starting third on the grid, followed a scorching comeback after dropping to P15 following a long lap penalty.
‘‘The first race was pretty good,’’ Buchanan said.
‘‘I was feeling pretty good, comfortable, but a few riders overtook me.
‘‘From race direction, I was penalised with a long lap, which dropped me down to P15, but I made a good comeback to P5 at the end of the race.’’
Buchanan said the second race had been difficult.
‘‘On the first lap, I passed P2 and from then on it was a relentless fight.
‘‘At one point, I got to P9 and the race leader took some advantage, but I managed to neutralise the difference and I got to P1 with two laps to go. But unfortunately in the last corner a rider took me out of the line.
‘‘I couldn't get back on the track because there was another rider, but I still finished P4, close to the podium.’’
Finishing in the front group for the first time represented a good weekend, he said.
‘‘We also scored a lot of points for the championship. If I'm not mistaken, we're four points out of P5.
‘‘Happy about that, and looking forward to Portimao where I want to take it and give the team one of the trophies they give out on the podium.’’