"I miss the food," South African Moto3 rider Ruche Moodley says

Since pursuing a career as a professional motorcycle racer, Gqeberha-born Ruche Moodley has spent a significant amount of his teenage years overseas, especially Europe.

The 18-year-old speedster is racing his Debut season in the Moto3 Class and is based in Alicante, Spain with team BOE Motorsport. The Spanish cuisine doesn't really phase him, however, as his tongue longs for the Durban flavors he and his family grew up on.

Moodley's training regiment is stricter than your average 18-year-old, covering two workouts a day, all week long!

In terms of food, a lot of bland chicken, starch and boiled vegetables are consumed as part of his diet.

But whenever the racing prodigy has a chance, he's going for something greasy. Moodley used to be a vegetarian before crossing over to the dark side, and would love nothing more than to tuck into a pot of butter chicken and garlic naan.

"Veg breyani was my favorite when I was a vegetarian but I started eating meat. And now I really enjoy a good butter chicken.

"The problem is, here is Spain, I don't really like the food. I have this one Indian restaurant my family and I go to all the time. Its called Gurath if I'm not mistaken. They sell really nice Indian food.

"I think that is the hardest part about being away from home. I miss the food and mostly my family back home, " Moodley said.

While this may be his first season in the Moto3 Class, it's not his first rodeo in the main track. Moodley's dance in the Red Bull Rookies Cup for three seasons laid a solid foundation for him to start Moto3.

In fact, the Red Bull Rookies Cup was more a more overwhelming experience for him than Moto3.

"That first year in the Red Bull Rookies league was way more overwhelming for me. Just because it was my first year rubbing shoulders with the big boys. We were in the main paddock for the MotoGP but just racing on a different schedule.

"It was a real eye opening experience, just racing on the same circuits as the professionals do took some getting used to," Moodley said. "Joining Moto3 was not so bad for me. I think I had already overcome that feeling of being in a new environment. I am used to it now and ready to compete, " he added.

One of the biggest learning curves so far has been getting used to circuits that his opponents have been racing for multiple seasons. Coming from a family of motorcycle champions, Moodley has acclimated himself rather quickly.

His father, Arushen Moodley, was the first South African of colour to win the SA Superbike Title.

Arushen has been by Ruche's side through every step of his professional career, and lives with him in Spain. Ruche and his family come back to the Eastern Cape during the off season to spend time at home.

Arushen wears two hats these days, one of a father and the other, a racing coach to a talented young man. But the lines do get blurry at time, Ruche admitted.

"He wouldn't ever overload me with information because he knows I'm already processing a lot. He's just there to talk to me and help clear my mind and not even talk about racing.

"We spend a lot of time together. We travel together most of the time or on the odd occasion, he would fly out before me," he added.

Four races into his debut season in Moto3, and Moodley's already put up 9 points on the board for BOE Motorsport. Moodley won't have to travel much for the next race this coming Sunday, as its held at the Circuito de Jerez in Spain.