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LAP RECORD PACE: Nelia pips 2024 runner-up Herrera on Day 1 of WorldWCR Test at Cremona

Thursday, 3 April 2025 16:52 GMT

    • Nelia was fastest on Day 1 of WorldWCR testing ahead of the Championship’s first round of 2025 at the Pirelli Dutch Round, pipping six-time race winner Herrera

    The FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship has returned to the track and attended their first test day ahead of the season’s first races at Assen. The testing event held at the Cremona Circuit was the venue for motorsport’s fastest women to get their Yamaha R7 machines ready ahead of their season opener at the Pirelli Dutch Round across April 11-13th. Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Racing Team) was topping the timesheet until her time was beaten in the final session of the day by Beatriz Nelia (Ampito Crescent Yamaha). Herrera’s teammate Roberta Ponziani rounded out the top three positions in WorldWCR’s return to the track, with the top three all under the lap record pace.

    BACK WITH A VENGENCE: Nelia P1, faster lap time than standing lap record

    Nelia’s 1’40.545s fastest lap in FP4 earned her a position atop the grid on Day 1, her time faster than current circuit record of 1’40.649s set last year by Champion. Ana Carrasco. Herrera was among the fastest on the day, going fastest in Free Practice 2, and ultimately taking second place while racking up 35 laps. Ponziani opened the day well, fastest on the timesheet in FP1 with her 1’41.216s lap. While she didn’t take to the track in FP3, she went on to improve that time to 1’41.016s in FP4, giving her P3 overall on home soil.

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    Two-time 2024 race winner Sara Sanchez (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team) finished the day in P4 through her 1’41.687s fastest lap. Pakita Ruiz (PR46+1 Racing Team) was among the fastest on the day, finishing in P5 with a time of 1’41.792s. Mexican rider Astrid Madrigal (Pons Italika Racing FIMLA) finished the day 1’41.995s, placing her P6. Natalia Rivera (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team) registered a 1’42.209s lap, fastest of her 39 laps, finishing P7. Aussie rider Tayla Relph (Full Throttle Racing) reminded the grid of her 2024 podium pedigree with her 1’42.447s fastest lap, finishing in P8 on the timesheet.

    PREPARING FOR ASSEN: little to separate the fight in the top ten

    German rider Lucy Michel (TSL Racing) had a strong showing in Day 1, P9 after her 1’42.528s fastest lap. Avalon Lewis (Carl Cox Motorsports) improved her pace, her 1’42.708s lap placing her P10 by Day 1’s close. Ornella Ongaro (511 Riders Experience) narrowly missed out on the top 10, finishing P11 on the back of a 1’42.908s. Jessica Howden (Team Trasimeno) was the faster of the Team Trasimeno riders on the day, finishing P12 and with a time of 1’43.032s. Chile’s Isis Carreno (Pons Italika Racing FIMLA) finished with a 1’43.302s, earning P13 while rookie Billee Fuller (Carl Cox Motorsports) was 14th with a 1’43.613s despite a crash in FP3 which ruled her out of the rest of the day’s action while her bike was repaired.

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    Emily Bondi finished P15, her fastest time coming in FP1, a 1’43.663s. Lucie Boudesseul (GMT94-YAMAHA) improved as the day went on, finishing P16 and a time of 1’43.680s. 17th place belonged to Adela Ourednickova (DafitMotoracing), although the Czech rider only tested in the first two sessions, sitting out FP3 and FP4. Chun Mei Liu (WT Team Taiwan) returned to the WorldWCR paddock at the event at Cremona, her fastest lap of 1’44.093s placing her in P18. Jamie Hanks-Elliott (Hanks Racing) finished 19th and a fastest time of 1’44.276s. Mallory Dobbs (Diva Racing) claimed 20th after she had a crash in FP1 in the second sector, forcing her to sit out FP2 and FP3, but the American was back on track in the final session of the day. Portuguese rookie Madalena Simoes (FB Racing Team) was 21st, ahead of Beatrice Barbera (Team GP3 AD11), who crashed in FP3 and didn’t take part in FP4, and Sonya Lloyd (Team Trasimeno). Britain’s Chloe Jones (GR Motosport) did not test on Day 1.

    The top six from the WorldWCR Test Day 1: Full results here!

    1. Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha) 1’40.545, 32 laps

    2. Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Racing Team) ’140.750s, 35 laps

    3. Roberta Ponziani (Klint Forward Racing Team) 1’41.016s, 27 laps

    4. Sara Sanchez (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team) 1’41.687s, 39 laps

    5. Pakita Ruiz (PR46+1 Racing Team) 1’41.792s, 38 laps

    6. Astrid Madrigal (Pons Italika Racing FIMLA) 1’41.995s, 32 laps

    Tune in live to the season-opening WorldWCR action in Assen April 11-13 or watch it on-demand with the WorldSBK VideoPass!