Caught in perilous conditions, Southland grand prix racer Cormac Buchanan is ruing what might have been at the Le Mans circuit in France.

A frustrating crash in the opening stages of Sunday’s Moto3 World Championship race blemished an otherwise excellent weekend on the track for the Kiwi battler.

The Southland teenager was one of a staggering 14 crashes within the 26-strong field, testimony to the tricky wet conditions.

“I knew I was quick in the wet. I knew it was a really big opportunity to be on the podium,’’ Buchanan said.

‘‘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.

“It certainly isn’t what I wanted and it feels like a missed opportunity for sure, but those things you can’t focus on.…