Cormac BuchananDOB: 23/06/2006
Hometown: Invercargill, New Zealand
Cormac Buchanan is a kiwi learning to fly … on a motorcycle!For Cormac Buchanan, racing motorbikes professionally on the world stage isn’t just a dream – it’s a plan.
Even at 13-years-old, he’s developed a master plan to achieve his ultimate goal and, most importantly, is already started ticking off aspects of it.
Now he’s set his sights on being the first kiwi rider to secure a place in the coveted Red Bull Rookies Cup programme – a desire fuelled by attending the 2020 selection event in Spain last year and earning the chance to ride in the finals alongside 30 of the world’s best young talents.
Cormac thrives on the physical and mental demands of road racing, along with the tactical challenge each race presents. Ask him and he’ll tell you it’s the speed, adrenalin and little room for error which appeals.
Whether its speed, race smarts, improved body positioning or overall placing, he’s determined to progress every time he takes to the track. His mantra: “You never lose – you either win or you learn”.
Cormac prides himself on being hard-working, dedicated, focused and skilled – but it’s his natural talent which sets him apart from the pack. His prowess on a motorbike has left even the most-seasoned racers in awe as his confident riding style belies his youth. He’s not afraid to push the limits in the quest for consistent improvement.
Cormac eagerly absorbs any tuition and advice from his mentors, including Moto Academy NZ coach Dr Steve Bagshaw, and is willing to be coached, recognising those with the right knowledge can positively influence his riding. He takes criticism maturely and processes feedback well to turn it into results.
Off the track, his strong sportsmanship, likable personality and positive attitude makes him a great ambassador for the code and a role model for younger riders. It’s a responsibility he takes seriously, reflected in his enjoyment mentoring junior speedway competitors in the past.
Cormac would love to see road racing grow in the junior ranks in New Zealand and is proud to play his part by setting a strong example with the ultimate aim of achieving his own goals to show other young riders there is a tangible pathway for them in the sport.
He strives to stay true to the values Head, Heart, Humble: use your head, be driven by the passion in your heart and always stay humble.
Cormac is dedicated to his sponsors and ensures their support is always acknowledged during prizegiving speeches and via his website and social media pages on both Facebook and Instagram where he is creating an audience which is active and engaged. He is learning the value of working in partnership and fostering relationships.
He’s not only driven by his personal ambitions, but a genuine desire to represent New Zealand proudly on the international motorcycle scene.
Cormac hails from Invercargill – that’s Burt Munro country – and he’s determined to follow in the motorcycle legend’s footsteps by also etching his name in the record books internationally.
Munro – a world speed record holder whose life story was portrayed in The World’s Fastest Indian movie starring Sir Anthony Hopkins – was famous for his kiwi ingenuity, determination to take on the world and insatiable need for speed. Traits Cormac relates to.
A bedroom full of sashes and trophies would indicate he’s fond of winning but he also enjoys the challenge of knowing there’s something to work on every lap to improve.
On the bike, Cormac is focused, disciplined and thrives on the contest. Off it, he’s a fun-seeker with a cheeky sense of humour and a social, outgoing personality.
While motorcycling dominates aspects of Cormac’s life, he knows the importance of balance. Away from the track, Cormac likes being active and participates in a range of pursuits, including playing rugby where he enjoys the comradery of a team environment.
Cormac has demonstrated an ability to develop his riding skills significantly over the past year and now seeking the right environment internationally is crucial to continuing his momentum.
2020 so far …Cormac leapt at the chance to represent the #bLUcRU when invited to join the Yamaha Motor New Zealand road racing team as a development rider for the 2020 NZSBK Championship.
With motorcross legend Josh Coppins at the helm and a talented team comprising superbike riders Alastair Hoogenboezem and Jake Lewis, Rogan Chandler in the Supersport 600 and Harry Parker in the Supersport 300, it has proved a fantastic learning environment.
In the opening two rounds, Cormac dominated the inaugural Supersport 150 ranks on his Yamaha YZF-R15 V3 machine, earning pole at both Ruapuna and Timaru and remaining unbeaten across all races – the only rider across all NZSBK classes to earn maximum points on offer.
The competition now heads to the North Island for the remaining three rounds.
- Hampton Downs – March 7-8
- Circuit Chris Amon Manfield, Fielding – March 28-29
- Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park, Taupo – April 5-6
Moto Academy NZAn integral part of Team Cormac Racing is Moto Academy NZ founder Dr Steve Bagshaw. Under his knowledgeable influence, Cormac continues to advance his skill.
A crucial factor is the innovative IMD IM250 pre-moto3 machine Steve designed and built. Cormac now races the IM250 at various events throughout New Zealand, including the 2020 Burt Munro Challenge where he etched his name in the record books as the youngest ever competitor to tackle the Bluff Hillclimb and E Hayes Teretonga Sprint Races events.
2019 – the rookie year Six years honing his skills having “fun at full throttle with no brakes” in speedway saw Cormac win nearly every junior title on offer in New Zealand, including being named Junior Solo Competitor of the Year at the Speedway New Zealand Awards in both 2017 and 2018.
While still competing on the oval track, Cormac chose to concentrate predominantly on road racing in 2019. The fact he was still ineligible to race in New Zealand due to his age never deterred him. Instead, he relished any track time he could persuade officials to give him for practice. Numerous 1300km road trips to tracks further north just for the day speaks volumes about his overall desire to race.
Seeking an environment to learn race craft, Cormac opted to compete in the inaugural Oceania Junior Cup in Australia and the professional coaching and race opportunities it provided proved instrumental in his early development.
Racing against many competitors already familiar with the tracks, he managed to impress from the outset. Learning track layouts on race weekend just added to the challenge.
Despite being only his fourth time on a Yamaha R15 machine, he recorded the fourth fastest time overall with 2min 14.957sec – just a smidge off the quickest pace of 2min 14.735sec – during the ASBK official test weekend at Phillip Island in February.
Round one at Wakefield Park in New South Wales saw him qualify in 14th and work his way impressively through the pack to earn two 8th and a 10th placing to conclude the weekend in 8th overall.
At round two at Broadford in Victoria, Cormac proved he was on the pace, qualifying in P2 to snatch a spot on the front row of the grid – just 24 hours after seeing the track for the first time.
Recovering from a frustrating crash in the first race, he went on to record a sixth place finish in race two. Second in the lead pack during the final race of the day, a race incident beyond his control resulted in another DNF.
Hungry for track time, he hired a bike that weekend to also compete in a round of the Australian Junior Road Racing Championships at Broadford, earning fourth overall in the 160cc class – just two points off the podium.
As the season progressed, Cormac continued to develop to earn top five finishes in the latter stages of the season – just 0.2 seconds off the win which reflects the intensity of the racing.
In October 2019, Cormac was one of two riders selected to represent Oceania Junior Cup at the Red Bull Rookies Cup selection event in Spain. The chance to test his mettle against some of the best young riders around the globe proved a career highlight, especially as he earned a call-up into the final group of 30 to contest for a place in the 2020 programme.
While missing out on the final cut, Cormac left with some key things to work-on and a determination to return stronger in 2020.
Just four days after returning to New Zealand, Cormac joined 10 of his OJC team-mates in Malaysia for Asia Talent Cup tryouts which proved to be another valuable opportunity to experience the elite side of the sport.
