Southland teenager Cormac Buchanan's promising weekend at the French MotoGP turned sour when treacherous wet conditions caused him to crash out of Sunday's Moto3 World Championship race at Le Mans.

The New Zealand grand prix racer was one of 14 riders from the 26-strong field who fell victim to the slippery Le Mans asphalt during what became a survival race in the rain.

Buchanan had been riding strongly throughout the weekend at the historic Bugatti Circuit, consistently finishing practice sessions within a second of the fastest times and securing a spot in the second qualifying session.

"About 20 minutes before our race it started pouring down. I knew I was quick in the wet, I knew it was a really big opportunity to be on the podium. My initial focus was just to get through the first lap but in corner seven a rider checked up so I touched the throttle to avoid a collision and in doing so I lost the rear and it spat me off," Buchanan said.

Despite the frustrating end to his race, the Southland rider remained positive about his weekend's performance and the progress he's made this season.

"It certainly isn't what I wanted and it feels like a missed opportunity for sure, but those things you can't focus on. We had a really clean weekend, no mistakes, improved every session, rode really fast alone, and secured a place in Q2," he said.

Buchanan's qualifying performance was a particular highlight, with the teenager choosing to ride solo rather than follow the pack to secure 15th position on the grid.

"In qualifying I knew I could trust my instincts and go it alone. I managed one of my best laps of the season to secure a place in Q2. I hadn't felt that good on the bike since the crash in Brazil so it was really special to feel like that – like I was getting back to where I was which makes me feel really happy," Buchanan explained.

The Kiwi rider's pace was particularly impressive, with every lap falling within one or two tenths of a second of his best time, demonstrating the consistency that would have served him well in dry conditions.

"Yes, it's frustrating not to have the race results yet to back up the progress I have made this season but it's not far away and I will keep doing what I'm doing. I'm ready for full throttle at Barcelona," Buchanan said.

Buchanan now turns his attention to the next round at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where his CODE Motorsports team will compete in their home race.

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