Herrera readies for inaugural WorldWCR campaign: "We’ll make history together!"
During the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, Maria Herrera announced her plans for this season and previewed the upcoming campaign
The first-ever FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship campaign kicks off in a couple of weeks at the iconic Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” in Italy, and now, a new name has thrown her hat into the ring to make history. Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) will compete in WorldWCR this season with the Spaniard’s plans revealed on a visit to the magical Mugello venue for the Italian Grand Prix, running with the Klint Forward Factory Team on the Yamaha R7 machine in 2024.
27-year-old Herrera brings a wealth of experience to her WorldWCR campaign, having raced in Moto3™, WorldSSP300, WorldSSP and the MotoE™ World Championship including in 2024, with the team she’ll compete for in WorldWCR. The Spanish star was a regular competitor for points in the Grand Prix paddock across her Moto3™ and MotoE™ stints, while she was consistently fighting for the top ten in WorldSSP300. In her one season in the Championship, she scored points in more than half the races with a best of fourth at Magny-Cours.
She moved into WorldSSP for 2019 for three seasons, securing points in all three campaigns. Her best finish was in Race 1 at Aragon in 2021 when she claimed 12th, before focusing on MotoE™ in 2022 and 2023. For this season, a new challenge awaits the Spaniard as she looks to make history by becoming the first Champion in WorldWCR, where she will face fierce competition.
In the announcement, Herrera said: “I’m happy to do the new FIM Women's Circuit Racing World Championship with my team. They brought me the possibility to do it and I’m very grateful. I want to bring happiness to the team in another Championship and fight in all the races for all the effort they have put in. Thanks to them we’ll make history together.”
She then expanded on her thoughts in an interview after the press conference, added: “Finally, we can say it, because it was a little bit difficult to be part of the Championship. I spoke to Martina and Giovanni, who wanted to support me, so I’m very grateful to this team because I can be part of this Championship for them. I don’t know about my rivals but, for sure, Ana Carrasco is the rider who has more experience and more laps with the bike. I’ve had just one test. I need to understand this bike. Sara Sanchez and Beatriz Neila are also fast. I want to be with them and learn about this new category. I think we want to do a good job with this team. I don’t know about the first race because it’s my first time on the bike but in the next one, we want to fight at the front.”
Martina Cuzari, Team Manager, said: “As a woman and manager, I am proud to be able to participate with one of our athletes in a Championship that will still mark an important point in the history of track motorcycling. Maria is a rider with talent and will and has always demonstrated affinity with our values and our desire to do well, without giving up. For the Klint Forward Factory Team, already very busy internationally and nationally, it is a "pleasant effort" because it goes beyond the sporting aspect. We are happy to be part of a new journey.”
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