Exclusive: Ruche Moodley Embraces Hard Lessons After Injury-Disrupted Moto3 Debut

Ruche Moodley’s MotoGP rookie season started with promise, but repeated injuries stalled his momentum, turning his debut campaign into a test of resilience, adaptation and learning at the highest level of the sport.

Competing in his first full FIM Moto3 World Championship season, Moodley entered the year with measured expectations and made a solid early impression. 

Early setbacks

He picked up points in the opening rounds, including on unfamiliar circuits, before a series of injury setbacks interrupted his progress just as the calendar shifted to more familiar European tracks.

The teenager eventually finished the season 27th overall from a field of 40 riders, collecting 14 points despite the challenges he faced along the way.

Currently riding for BOE Motorsports, the former motocross rider remained encouraged by his performances and will return for another campaign after the Spanish team opted to renew his contract for another season.

“The season started pretty strong, stronger than expected,” Moodley told Sportsboom.co.za.

“To get some points in the first few races was really good, especially on tracks I didn’t know. When we got to Europe, I was faster than in the first few races because I knew the tracks.”

“I then broke my arm and missed a lot of races, which was a pretty big setback. I lost a lot of time without racing. When I rejoined at Silverstone, I struggled to feel comfortable with my arm because I had some nerve damage.”

“Just as I started to get it back, I had another accident in Sydney, breaking my elbow, and that was another huge setback. After returning from the second injury, it took a lot of time to get back up to speed.”

“It was not an easy season, and the end of it was also super tough. We will see what happens next year.”

Handling pressure and making history

Beyond the results, Moodley also etched his name into the history books, becoming the third South African rider in the MotoGP paddock for 2025 and the first rider of colour from the African continent to compete on the world stage.

At just 19 years old, Moodley acknowledged the pressures that come with competing at the elite level of the sport but embraced the challenge, balancing national expectations with the demands of racing for a leading team.

“My expectations weren’t super high because I knew the level was very high, so I went into the first few races just giving my best. From there, I understood where I needed to improve.”

“There will always be pressure, especially as it was my rookie season. There is pressure to perform because it is a big team and there is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes.”

Learning from the Binder brothers

Moodley’s pathway mirrors that of fellow South Africans Darryn and Brad Binder, both of whom progressed through the MotoGP ranks after starting their careers in Moto3.

Reflecting on their influence, Moodley said their guidance and close relationship have played an important role in his development.

“I have been quite lucky to be close to them. I met them at a young age, so I have been friends with them for a long time.”

“Even when I was in the Rookies Cup, they would give me advice and tips on what to do in different situations. Travelling the world and being with them on many weekends, we often have our own little South African family in the paddock, so we spend a lot of time together.”

“Darryn had a similar season to me because he also had a lot of injuries, so we could relate and talk a lot about that. Unfortunately, Darryn will not be in the paddock next year, but still having Brad there will be a big help.”