The future is bright for South African MotoGP racing

The future is bright for South African MotoGP racing

Motorcycles might not be TGSA’s primary focus, but local success stories get our creative juices flowing. Motorsport in South Africa is slowly regaining traction. There are the van der Linde brothers who are representing the green and gold in DTM, and Brad Binder continues to fly the flag in MotoGP. Now, a new name is popping up in the international two-wheeled spotlight. One which is authentically South African, and he has a point to prove. Ruche Moodley is a youngster destined for big things and is battling it out in Moto3 at just 18 years old.

So what does it take to embark across the world to follow a passion many dream of achieving? Well, I had a chat with Ruche to see where his passion and opportunities flourished. Like most racing origin stories, Ruche's began with his father. Arushen Moodley had hopes of docking a MotoGP stamp of his own over a decade ago, and on paper there was certainly potential. He was the South African Superbike champion in 2007 and won two titles in the United Arab Emirates in 2009 and 2010. Only he never quite managed to grab the MotoGP horns. 

His son, though, inherited his passion for speed on two wheels. In my interview with Ruche, I was interested to see if this passion for motorcycle racing was his dream from the start. “My dad bought me a little motocross bike when I was five that I used to ride around the garden. A few years later I started riding on a track, and from there I fell in love with the sport." It's a frequently heard statement among successful racers, but Ruche's passion was not a fluke, as his enthusiasm was obvious from the start. 

He first competed in motocross, but his growing obsession with MotoGP inspired him to swap out the knobbly mud tyres for slicks. He soon discovered that there is a certain enjoyment that comes from consistent grip and higher cornering speeds, so his sights shifted to circuit racing. Unfortunately, becoming successful in South Africa isn't enough to get your ticket stamped en route to the international scene.

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At 14, and with some international racing knowledge handed down from his father, Ruche headed off to Europe to compete in the European Talent Cup in 2021. “When I started racing overseas, I was surprised how high the level is and how professional it is. We all made a lot of sacrifices and worked hard to be competitive.”

Being exposed to the world of racing pressure taught him a lot at a young age, something which few understand about international racing. It is imperative to have a head start on the competition, and it showed. His first international performance caught Red Bull's attention for the MotoGP Rookies Cup 2022 season. And his journey up the ladder began. 

In 2023 he claimed his first podium in the European Talent Cup alongside a rather impressive season campaign, which earned him a seat in the competitive JuniorGP class for the final round of the 2023 season. His impression persisted, and in 2024 he secured a full-season ride in JuniorGP, which later led to his Moto3 opportunity for 2025 with BOE Motorsports.

We can only imagine how overwhelming it is to finally make it to the series you have only dreamt of. Making his debut in the middle of the pack, he recalls it as, "I remember feeling very nervous but excited at the same time. I felt so many emotions."

Despite a midseason crash at Silverstone that left him with a broken arm, his burning desire to win the MotoGP championship remained unwavering. Though there were concerns about progress and recovery, he bounced back with determination and finished 14th in Spain on his return. 

It's clear that Ruche has fire within him, driven by the desire to be a MotoGP champion and bring it home for South Africa. He is certainly one to watch, and he is now just two steps away from fulfilling his dream. Moto2 and then the premier class.

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