Three Months After Near-Death Crash, Young Racer Is Fighting for His Dream

Moto3 rider, Noah Dettwiler, suffered multiple cardiac arrests, injuries to his lungs and spleen, and an open leg fracture, but just three months later, he wants to race again.

Photo by: crash

By: Robbie Bacon

Feb 6, at 8:07am ET

Add RideApart as a preferred source in Google

Comment

Motorcycle racers are built differently. Not to take away from any other athletes at the top of their respective sports, but from the age you can properly comprehend death, you need to accept that it could happen on the track. For Moto3 rider Noah Dettwiler, that was nearly the case after a horrific crash during a sighting lap last year at the Malaysian MotoGP, but he’s not letting that end his career. Far from it.

It's nothing short of a miracle that 20-year-old Dettwiler survived the incident after suffering multiple cardiac arrests, injuries to his lungs and spleen, and an open leg fracture. But just three months after the horrific crash, Dettwiler has gone through rehabilitation in his home country of Switzerland and is ready to race again.

At the beginning of December, Dettwiler stated, "Motorcycle racing is my passion, my life and my work, and therefore I will give everything to get back to 100 percent fitness as quickly as possible." Before his accident, the Moto3 rider had an offer from Paolo Simoncelli's SIC58 racing team for the 2026 Moto3 season, but this seat went to Austrian rider Leo Rammerstorfer, as it was unclear when, or if, Dettwiler would be back on two wheels again.

Dettwiler's Moto3 opportunity is gone for 2026, but for a talented rider with his determination, other rides are still on the table. The young Solothurn native is officially making a comeback with the Kuja Racing team for the Italian Supersport Championship aboard a Ducati Panigale V2.

What do you think?

View

Comments

“I’m really excited to start this new adventure with Kuja Racing,” Dettwiler recently shared, before stating, “I know the history and professionalism of this team, and I’m convinced it’s the ideal environment to reach my full potential. I can’t wait to get on the bike, meet the crew in the pits, and work hard to get the team to where it deserves. See you at the track!”

If you want to follow his career progress, the six-series championship kicks off in April at Misano. Go and show Dettwiler some love on Instagram; he's a credit to two-wheeled racing.