Just a few days before the Christmas holidays, a Christmas miracle occurred in Switzerland. The family of Moto3 World Championship rider Noah Dettwiler - who suffered a serious fall during the sighting lap of the Malaysian GP in Sepang on October 18th - posted several photos of Noah, his parents, and his sister on social media with the comment: "We can laugh, again. It feels so good!"
The pictures show Noah smiling with his father Andy, his mother Nicole, and his sister Noëlle. The KTM RC4 GP rider from Alain Bronec’s Green Power CIP team has been recovering from his life-threatening injuries for about two weeks now at the Bellikon rehabilitation clinic.
Dettwiler was traveling at a reduced speed, presumably due to a mechanical issue, during the sighting lap at the Sepang International Circuit, when the newly crowned world champion, José Antonio Rueda, rammed him from behind at a high speed. The Spanish from the Red Bull KTM Ajo team - who celebrated no fewer than ten Moto3 GP victories in 2025 - also suffered serious injuries in the impact and, consequently, missed the last three races of the season.
The TV footage of the violent collision sparked the worst fears among viewers, especially since doctors released very little information about the 20-year-old rider's condition for many hours. Reports of various cardiac arrests and broken bones were then released. Dettwiler was airlifted to a hospital in Kuala Lumpur, and the Moto3 race was delayed by an hour and a half, starting only after the MotoGP race had concluded. The mood in the paddock and the media center remained grim. Noah Dettwiler's family flew to Malaysia immediately after the accident. On Monday, following the devastating crash, the MotoGP's medical director, Dr. Angel Charte, reported that the injured rider's condition was stable but remained serious. The CIP team had announced: "Noah has undergone several successful surgeries in the last few hours."
"The surgeries have stabilized Noah, but his condition remains critical," Dr. Charte had added.
Dettwiler remained on a ventilator, and his elevated heart rate (tachycardia) was a serious cause for concern. Furthermore, his damaged spleen had been removed in emergency surgery. A CT scan was performed on Tuesday (October 28th) to detect any further injuries, like an open fracture of the tibia and fibia. Fortunately, the suspicions that Dettwiler was suffering from fluctuating intracranial pressure were not confirmed.
Dettwiler's horrific accident also deeply affected Tom Lüthi, who is working as a riding coach for the German Liqui Moly Intact Team this year. Tom Lüthi - 125cc world champion in 2005 with a Honda and Moto2 runner-up in 2016 and 2017 with a Kalex - was in a relationship with Dettwiler's sister, Noëlle. For many years, he managed the up-and-coming rider, secured sponsors for Noah, such as Interwetten, and paved the way for his entry into the Moto3 World Championship.
After a promising debut as a wildcard rider in Spielberg in 2023, Dettwiler signed a contract with the CIP-KTM team for 2024 and 2025. This followed his participation in the Red Bull Rookies Cup from 2019 to 2021 and his move to Spain with his parents (who also always financially supported his GP career) to further his motorcycle racing career.
On November 25th, Noah Dettwiler, who comes from Hofstetten-Flüh in the canton of Solothurn, spoke publicly for the first time since his accident. "Life and my profession have confronted me with a major challenge," he stated. "I thank everyone who sent me so much love, congratulations, and positive energy. It helped me a lot. I thank my family, my girlfriend Cannelle, my supporters, and my fans for their tremendous support,” the racer - who has been living in Barcelona with the sister of French junior rider Antoine Nativi for the past year and a half - wrote.
Dettwiler also stated that his first goal now is to recuperate his health, then prepare for his personal and professional future. Noah has scored points only once in 39 Moto3 Grand Prix races, with a 14th-place finish at the 2024 Texas GP. The young rider is aware that he will not be physically fit enough to deliver the desired performances in the SIC58 team by the start of the 2026 Moto3 season, therefore, he thanked Paolo Simoncelli for his support but suggested that Paolo should consider signing on another rider.
It is not yet possible to assess and predict whether or when Noah Dettwiler will be able to compete at a World Championship level again. "One thing is for sure. Motorcycle racing is my passion, my life, my livelihood, and that's why I'm giving it everything I have to get back to being one hundred percent fit as quickly as possible," Dettwiler announced.
The Swiss rider is pleased with his progress. "Rehab is going well, and I'm making significant progress. The goal is a full recovery, and I'm trying to achieve this with all my determination and strength" he promised. "A first important step will be regaining my physical independence."
If Dettwiler can seriously consider racing again, the newly founded Swiss company, Sorpasso, which aims to promote talented riders, will take over Noah’s management and career. This agency also represents Swiss riders 18-year-old Lenoxx Phommara and 13-year-old Davide Dotta, who will compete in the Italian Pre-Moto3 series in 2026. Phommara, on the other hand, is trained in Italy by the TwentyOne Racing School of former Supersport World Champion Randy Krummenacher.