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The FIM Women's Circuit Racing World Championship (WorldWCR) represents a significant advancement in motorsports, dedicated to highlighting the talents of female riders on an international platform. As a single-make series, all participants will compete using the Yamaha YZF-R7, focusing on skill and strategy rather than differences in equipment. This inaugural 2024 season will feature 24 riders from a variety of backgrounds, all poised to leave their mark on this historic championship.

THE LOCATION: Cremona to host first WorldWCR action

These 24 WorldWCR riders will convene for the first time on May 16th and 17th at the newly renovated Cremona Circuit in Italy for a test - just one month before the series' first round at Misano, the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round. The Cremona Circuit, set to also host WorldWCR and WorldSBK in September, has recently undergone extensive renovations to enhance the track layout and spectator facilities. The circuit features 13 corners, six to the right and seven to the left with a total length of 3.768km. Featuring long straights – the longest is just under a kilometre in length – and a mix of different types of corners, it makes it a good circuit to test at to get up to speed on new bikes.

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR: a first chance to work out the pecking order…

The first test will be met with intrigue up and down the paddock as the 24 riders get their first look at the competition. With every rider coming from different backgrounds and experience, it won’t be a definitive order – especially at a track that’s new to everyone – but it could still give a rough idea. The key part of the test will be seeing who adapts quickly to the R7 and Pirelli tyres ahead of the WorldWCR season starting at Misano. You can find out more about the 24 riders competing in the historic first season right here, with everyone on the entry list scheduled to be present at the test.

HOW WILL THE TEST WORK? Multiple sessions across the two days…

Before hitting the track, the riders will meet with the WorldWCR Technical Staff. All Yamaha YZF-R7s will be set up and maintained by a technical crew managed by JiR's Luca Montiron, mirroring the structure of the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU FIM World Cup. The riders will participate in their initial briefings and be assigned their own Yamaha YZF-R7, which they will race throughout the six rounds of the 2024 season. After the initial bike setup is complete, they will engage in several practice sessions totalling 1h40 of track time on the first day. On Friday, further practice sessions will provide them with a full two hours to fine-tune their settings. The first track action on Thursday begins at 12:00 Local Time (UTC+2), with six sessions in total, and finishes at 18:20. On Friday, track action begins at 09:00 with seven sessions, concluding at 16:40.

THE BIKE: more detail about the Yamaha R7 machine

In addition to the WorldWCR riders and technical staff, this test will also engage key Championship partners, starting with Yamaha as the provider of the YZF-R7. WorldWCR operates under strict regulations to ensure fair competition, with all riders racing on identical Yamaha YZF-R7 bikes. This bike, the latest in the legendary R-Series, with its high-torque 689cc engine and compact chassis, is ideally suited for the series.

TYRES AVAILABLE: Pirelli’s SC1 compound in use

The riders will use Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike slick tyres, identical to those used successfully across all categories of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, where Pirelli has been the continuous Official Supplier since 2004. Specifically, each rider will have access to DIABLO™ Superbike 120/70-17 front and 180/60-17 rear tyres in SC1 compound.

OTHER PARTNERS: Motul and Panta Racing Fuel use their WorldSBK paddock experience

Panta Racing Fuel, part of the Mol Group and based in Italy, will serve as the official fuel supplier. With their extensive experience in the WorldSSP and WorldSSP300 classes, as well as other motorsport competitions such as the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup, the CIV (Italian Circuit Racing Championship), the FIM Intercontinental Games, and British Superbike, Panta is the ideal fuel partner for the new championship. Another key partner for this test—and the remainder of the season—is Motul, serving as the official provider of engine oil and lubricants. This partnership ensures that the WorldWCR Yamaha R7s receive the same level of high-performance lubrication as bikes in the premier class.

COVERAGE OF THE TEST: highlights, interviews, reports…

With the first WorldWCR test comes extensive coverage from Cremona. A team on the ground will be there to gather information and speak to the riders, while you’ll also be able to get a look at the Championship on Thursday with first footage, whereas there'll also be end-of-test highlights on Friday, giving you a roundup of the first test as well as the news from Cremona. On top of that, there will be web coverage featuring reports, news, and reactions to bring you up-to-date with everything from Italy. Of course, there will also be coverage on the WorldSBK’s social media accounts to bring you events as they happen.

Follow all the racing action from WorldWCR in 2024 in style using the WorldSBK VideoPass!