Moodley Bounces Back Strong at Red Bull Ring

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The Moto3 World Championship roared back to life at Austria’s Red Bull Ring, and South Africa’s rising star Ruche Moodley wasted no time proving he belongs on the global stage.

A Reset After a Tough Start

The Gqeberha-born rookie has faced a baptism of fire in his debut season. His first half of the year was plagued by crashes and injuries, forcing him to miss the final two races before the summer break.

Reflecting on the layoff, Moodley admitted:
“It wasn’t a great way to go into the summer break, with the incidents and missing the last two races. It was great to catch up with family and recharge after the hectic season, but I could not wait to get back on my race bike.”

Back on Track in Austria

Returning after nearly two months out, Moodley looked sharp from the outset. He immediately clocked competitive lap times in practice, demonstrating that his home reset had paid dividends.

“It felt great to be back on the BOE Motorsports KTM. I know the Red Bull Ring circuit from having raced here in other categories, so I knew I’d be on the pace,” he said.

A Friday morning tumble cost him a direct Q2 spot by a razor-thin 0.009 seconds, leaving him 19th on the grid for Sunday’s main event.

A Gritty Race Performance

The race itself was classic Spielberg drama. Moodley had to avoid his teammate’s crash on the opening lap, dropping him to 22nd. Undeterred, the 18-year-old launched a determined fightback.

“Once I caught Casey (O’Gorman) and Nicola (Carraro) we were having a proper battle, passing each other on every lap. The battle was so much fun and it went right until the last lap.”

Moodley surged through the field to finish 17th — just outside the points but showing resilience and maturity beyond his years.

Looking Ahead with Confidence

For Moodley, finishing higher than he started was a clear positive. More importantly, he proved that his injuries are fully behind him.

“I was a little nervous, but excited to return to action. I finished higher than I started, which is always a plus. Our strategy for my rookie year has always been to finish every race, learning as we go. And that is exactly what we did today.

I felt good on the bike at the end of the race. I didn’t feel like my grip was getting worse, which means my injuries are fully healed. Now I am looking forward to visiting other tracks I have raced at before and building towards a strong finish to the season.”

With resilience, grit, and South African pride behind him, Moodley’s comeback ride at the Red Bull Ring suggests the best is yet to come.