Ruche Moodley wants to finish maiden Moto3 season strong

The 2025 Moto3 World Championship has entered its final stretch, and for South African rookie Ruche Moodley it has been a season of both promise and hard lessons.

The teenager, racing on the world stage for the first time, has endured a campaign that has tested his resilience but also showcased his potential.

Moodley began the year with a clear goal in mind: to gain valuable experience against some of the best young riders in the world.

“We knew, coming into Moto3, that the level of riding is extremely high. I raced against many of the riders in the field in the feeder series leading up to Moto3. Only the best make it this far, so the competition is really tough,” Moodley reflected.

The Gqeberha-born rider opened his maiden season with encouraging point-scoring finishes that hinted at his ability to adapt to the fast and unforgiving Moto3 machinery. Those early performances provided momentum and confidence.

But the middle portion of the season proved far more challenging. A series of crashes — an ever-present danger in motorcycle racing — sidelined Moodley with injuries that required recovery time and forced him to miss valuable track experience.

For any rookie, consistency is key, and the interruptions left him playing catch-up in a fiercely competitive field.

Moodley made his return at the Austrian Grand Prix, where he showed that his determination remained intact. Although he missed out on scoring points, he felt comfortable on the bike again and was relieved to put injury worries behind him.

That performance laid the foundation for an improved showing at the Catalan Grand Prix.

“We knew Austria was about getting back into the rhythm and feeling strong again,” Moodley said. “I was happy to come away from that weekend knowing the injuries were behind me.”

Heading into Barcelona, Moodley approached the race with optimism.

“I was looking forward to the race in Catalunya. We are based in Spain during the race season, so it feels a bit like a ‘home’ race. The track is also one of the classic MotoGP venues, always providing great racing,” he said.

Still, the weekend was not without its hurdles. After struggling for outright pace in practice, Moodley qualified 19th. His race began with a tricky opening lap, where he lost ground in the scramble down the long pit straight into the first corner.

From there, however, he fought hard in the second pack of riders, battling tooth-and-nail in a group that swapped positions constantly.

“It was a battle that required lots of concentration as we were running flat out in top gear on the pit straight, millimetres away from each other, nose-to-tail and sometimes side-by-side, rubbing elbows as we passed each other,” he explained.

Moodley held his nerve and showed composure beyond his years, overtaking riders lap by lap. On the final lap, he managed to outduel experienced competitor Dennis Foggia at the line, securing 18th place. While it was not inside the points, it was another step forward in his recovery.

“It was another tough weekend in the saddle, but we got to the chequered flag, which is the first priority on any race weekend,” Moodley said.

“A positive to take from the race is that I learnt to adapt my riding style to manage tyre wear and performance as the race progressed.”

With a handful of races left in his rookie season, Moodley’s focus is on growth, consistency, and finishing the year stronger than he started.

If his resilience through setbacks is any indication, the young South African is determined to make the most of his maiden Moto3 campaign.