Beatriz Neila Triumphs in a Thrilling WorldWCR Race 2 at Donington Park

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Race 2 Overview:
Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha) delivered a determined and tactically sharp performance on Sunday to secure a dramatic victory in Race 2 of the WorldWCR at Donington Park. Starting from pole position, Neila capitalized on her front-row advantage and stayed calm under pressure in what turned out to be a closely fought battle from start to finish.

The race was anything but straightforward. Neila had to fend off fierce challenges from multiple rivals, including Race 1 winner Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Racing Team), local fan favorite Chloe Jones (GR Motosport), and fellow Spaniard Sara Sanchez (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team). All three led at different stages of the 12-lap contest, keeping the intensity high throughout.

In the final laps, however, Neila managed to find just enough extra pace to pull a slight gap, crossing the line three-tenths of a second ahead of Sanchez—who impressed with her most competitive performance of the season. Herrera, though unable to repeat her Race 1 win, rode a smart and controlled race to take third, earning valuable points to maintain her lead in the championship standings.

Home Hero Denied Podium
Chloe Jones thrilled the home crowd with a courageous performance. Starting from the front row, she stayed in podium contention throughout the race, regularly battling in the leading group. Tragically, on the final lap, a crash dashed her hopes of a top-three finish. Still, in an inspiring show of determination, Jones remounted and finished in 11th place.

Breakthroughs and Battles Further Down the Field
Lucie Boudesseul (GMT94-YAMAHA) was another standout, showing strong pace and confidence at the Donington circuit. The French rider stayed with the leaders and narrowly missed out on a podium, finishing fourth—her best WorldWCR result so far.

Italian rider Roberta Ponziani (Klint Forward Racing Team), who had been forced to start Race 1 from the back of the grid, bounced back in Race 2. Starting from sixth, she delivered a clean and consistent race to take fifth place and show what she’s truly capable of.

Behind the leading pack, a tightly contested battle unfolded among Pakita Ruiz (PR46+1 Racing Team), Tayla Relph (Full Throttle Racing), Ornella Ongaro (Ornella Ongaro Racing Team), Natalia Rivera (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team), and Astrid Madrigal (Pons Italika Racing FIMLA). These riders rounded out the top ten, with Ruiz, Ongaro, and Boudesseul each scoring their best points haul of the season—24, 16, and 20 points respectively—over the course of the weekend.

Incidents and Retirements
The race wasn’t without its setbacks. Avalon Lewis (Carl Cox Motorsports) suffered a crash at Turn 12 midway through, which cost her any chance of scoring points. Jessica Howden (Team Trasimeno) also went down late in the race at Turn 1, further adding to a chaotic but action-packed day.

Championship Picture After the UK Round

With Donington wrapped up, Maria Herrera continues to lead the championship standings with 131 points. However, Neila’s Race 2 victory significantly narrows the gap, bringing her total to 122 points—just 9 behind the leader. Sara Sanchez’s second-place finish sees her rise to third with 89 points, while Roberta Ponziani sits close behind in fourth on 86. Chloe Jones remains fifth overall with 53 points, while Pakita Ruiz climbs to sixth with 50.

Rider Quotes: Donington Park Reflections

🏆 P1 – Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha):

“I’m over the moon with this result. It’s a very emotional win for me because I’ve been putting in a lot of work lately, and to have it pay off like this means so much. The early laps were quite tough—everyone was pushing, and we had riders catching up from behind. But with about four laps to go, things started to feel better, and I was able to enjoy the battle. I built a tiny gap two laps from the end, clocked the fastest lap, and just focused on bringing it home. The championship is tighter than ever now, and I’m already thinking ahead to Balaton. I like the track’s chicanes—hopefully, it suits us.”

🥈 P2 – Sara Sanchez (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team):

“After struggling at Cremona, this podium feels great. It was a fun and intense race, and being back at the front is exactly what we needed. My thanks go to the team for their hard work. We’ll aim to keep this momentum going into Balaton in a couple of weeks.”

🥉 P3 – Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Racing Team):

“I got off to a strong start and led into the first corner. I tried to push early, but it quickly became clear we were a group of five fighting it out. I had some brake issues again today, which made things tricky. I can’t say I’m thrilled with third, but I’m happy to still lead the championship. Balaton will be a new challenge since I haven’t tested there, unlike some of the others, but we’ll study the data and be ready to fight.”

Race 2 Results – Donington Park (WorldWCR):

Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha)
Sara Sanchez (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team) +0.304s
Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Racing Team) +1.006s
Lucie Boudesseul (GMT94-YAMAHA) +1.192s
Roberta Ponziani (Klint Forward Racing Team) +1.326s
Pakita Ruiz (PR46+1 Racing Team) +15.446s
Fastest Lap: Beatriz Neila – 1’39.270s