With the track wet, Free Practice for the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship was about understanding the conditions and building up to maximum confidence. Tayla Relph (TAYCO Motorsport) got on top of the conditions quickest as times rapidly fell during the 25-minute session, with the Australian posting a 2’06.801s to claim top spot ahead of Spanish rider Pakita Ruiz (PS Racing Team 46+1), with almost two seconds separating the pair at the Circuito Estoril.

Times tumbled throughout the first session of the Estoril Round as riders got adjusted to the grip offered by the wet track, although towards the end they stabilised. Australia’s Relph, fresh from her maiden podium at Cremona, topped the times as the only rider in the 2’06s bracket as she finished 1.9s clear of Ruiz in second after she set a 2’08.715s. Third place belonged to Championship leader Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team), although she was four seconds down on Relph.

Chun Mei Liu (WT Racing Team Taiwan) had a strong start to the weekend as she secured fifth place, finishing around three tenths ahead of Ran Yochay (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) in fifth. Emily Bondi (YART Zelos Black Knights Team) secured sixth place despite a crash in the final 10 minutes of the session when the #4 came off her bike at Turn 1. She was able to re-mount her Yamaha R7 and ride it back to the pits, although lost valuable track time.

Mallory Dobbs (Sekhmet Motorcycle Racing Team) was another rider who crashed during the session when she came off her bike at Turn 4, but the American was able to return to the track. She set a 2’13.035s to claim P7 ahead of Beatriz Neila (Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha) in eighth. Jamie Hanks-Elliott (Sekhmet Motorcycle Racing Team) was ninth with Astrid Madrigal (ITALIKA Racing FIMLA) completing the top ten.

Perennial front runners Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) and Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) were 11^th and 12^th respectively, while Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) was 14^th. Elsewhere, Adela Ourednickova (DafitMotoracing) and Jessica Howden (Team Trasimeno) both didn’t set a lap time; they crashed at Turn 7 and Turn 1 in the early running of FP.

The top six from WorldWCR Free Practice, full results here:

1. Tayla Relph (TAYCO Motorsport) 2’06.801s

2. Pakita Ruiz (PS Racing Team 46+1) +1.914s

3. Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) +4.453s

4. Chun Mei Liu (WT Racing Team Taiwan) +5.231s

5. Ran Yochay (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) +5.531s

6. Emily Bondi (YART Zelos Black Knights Team) +5.899s

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