Herrera Overcomes Intense Competition to Claim Victory in WorldWCR Race 1
Race 1 Highlights:
In the first race of the third Portuguese round of the WorldWCR series, championship leader Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) secured a hard-fought win, narrowly beating fellow Spaniard Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) by just 0.060 seconds at the finish line.
The eleven-lap race, contested under challenging conditions, quickly evolved into a fierce four-way battle for the lead. Herrera, Sanchez, Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team), and Beatriz Neila (Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha) distanced themselves from the rest of the pack, constantly swapping positions as they took advantage of the slipstream.
In the fight for third place, Carrasco edged out Neila by a mere 0.009 seconds. Despite Sanchez’s last-lap push to catch Herrera, where she set the fastest lap time of 1’53.691, she had to settle for second. Her blistering pace, however, earned her pole position for Sunday’s Race 2.
Pakita Ruiz (PS Racing Team 46+1) completed the top five, holding off challenges from Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) and Jessica Howden (Team Trasimeno), who finished sixth and seventh, respectively.
With her victory, Herrera extends her championship lead, leaving her rivals with everything to fight for in Race 2.
Several riders, including Hanks-Elliott (Sekhmet Motorcycle Racing Team), Kemmer (Bertl K. Racing Team), Bondi (YART Zelos Black Knights Team), Dobbs (Sekhmet Motorcycle Racing Team), and Nadieieva (MPS.RT), crashed out and were unable to finish the race.
Championship Standings:
- Maria Herrera: 113 points (Winner of 4 out of 5 races)
- Ana Carrasco: 97 points
- Sara Sanchez: 88 points
Key Race Stats:
- Pole Position: Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) – 1’54.609
- Race 1 Winner: Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team)
- Fastest Lap: Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) – 1’53.691
Post-Race Interviews:
P1 | Maria Herrera | Klint Forward Factory Team:
“I expected close racing today. Sara was fast in qualifying, so I knew it would be a tough battle. The grip dropped towards the end due to the high temperatures, and I lost some time in the fast corners, but I managed to hold on. Tomorrow, I’ll start second on the grid, which gives me a good opportunity to make a strong start. I want to analyze the data and see if I can improve my rhythm. If the wind calms down, we might perform even better in Race 2.”
P2 | Sara Sanchez | 511 Terra&Vita Racing Team:
“I’m really happy with my performance, especially after a bad start that dropped me to fourth. I had to push hard to catch up, and I fought until the very end. Although I made some mistakes on the final lap trying to catch Maria, I managed to set the fastest time. Starting from pole tomorrow, I hope to make a better start and push for more.”
P3 | Ana Carrasco | Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team:
“It was another intense battle among the four of us, with a much faster pace than in qualifying. I had some gearing issues in the last two laps that cost me time, but I fought hard to secure third place. Despite the technical difficulties, I’m pleased to have finished on the podium. We’ll work on the bike overnight and aim to be strong again in Race 2.”
WorldWCR Race 1 Results
1. Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team)
2. Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) +0.060s
3. Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros. Racing Yamaha Team) +2.253s
4. Beatriz Neila (Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +2.262s
5. Pakita Ruiz (PS Racing Team 46+1) +26.707s
6. Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) +26.919s
WorldWCR action resumes on Sunday with Warm Up from 11:00 (Local Time), followed by Race 2 at 13:45.
Official WorldWCR Press Release
