Paola Ramos Claims Breakthrough WorldWCR Pole Position at Misano

Spanish rookie sets new lap record at the Marco Simoncelli Circuit as championship rivals Herrera and Neila line up close behind

Paola Ramos delivered one of the standout performances of the 2026 FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship season on Friday by securing her first WorldWCR pole position at Misano.

The Klint Racing Team rider was the only competitor to break into the 1m47s bracket during Superpole, setting a new lap record of 1:47.718 around the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.

The result is particularly impressive given that Ramos is competing at Misano for the first time in a race weekend. Her pace throughout qualifying immediately established her as a genuine contender for victory heading into Saturday’s races.

Rookie Ramos Makes Her Mark

Ramos has steadily built momentum throughout her debut WorldWCR campaign, but Misano marked a significant breakthrough.

After showing strong pace in practice, the Spanish rider produced a near-perfect qualifying lap despite having to navigate traffic during the session.

Paola Ramos (Klint Racing Team)

“Qualifying was a little chaotic, as I had to overtake some riders on my fast lap. But I’m so happy with this result. My first pole and it’s even more special that I’ve done it here, at the Marco Simoncelli circuit, because I race with the same number as SuperSic, #58.”

“I’ve never raced at Misano before, but I came here to train a couple of months ago. I like the track, but it’s easy to lose valuable tenths if you don’t execute each turn perfectly; it’s fun but quite technical.”

Ramos also highlighted the technical demands of the Misano circuit, explaining that small mistakes can cost significant time over a lap.

Herrera Remains a Major Threat

Championship leader Maria Herrera missed out on pole after dominating qualifying sessions earlier in the season, but the Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR rider remains confident about her race prospects.

Herrera ended Superpole in second place with a time of 1:48.007, just 0.289 seconds behind Ramos.

Maria Herrera (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR)

“The day’s gone well. The track was a little dirty in FP1 and so I didn’t push too much. Then in Superpole I knew Paola or one of the other girls would be coming for me.”

“I stopped and restarted but found myself in traffic, and then in the final stages it was very windy along the straight and so I couldn’t do more than I did. But my pace is good and very consistent so I’m confident ahead of the races.”

Herrera’s consistency over race distance has been one of the key strengths of her championship campaign, making her a serious contender despite starting alongside Ramos on the front row.

Neila Completes an All-Spanish Front Row

Beatriz Neila continued her strong season by securing third place on the grid for Ampito Crescent Yamaha.

Neila finished only 0.038 seconds behind Herrera, underlining just how competitive the leading group has become. It marks her second front-row start of the year and keeps her firmly in the championship fight.

Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha)

“I’ve had a good Friday. I quickly found a good feeling with the bike and I’m happy with how the day’s gone. I found some traffic while trying to make my last lap in Superpole but I’m nevertheless on the front row, which is important.”

“There’s a big group of us, so the goal in tomorrow’s race will be to make a good start and run at the front. I love Misano, it’s one of my favourites, so I really want to do well here.”

Strong Home Performances from the Italians

Italian riders also impressed in front of their home crowd.

Roberta Ponziani snatched fourth place for Klint Racing Team in the closing moments of Superpole after showing encouraging pace throughout Friday.

Wildcard entrant Josephine Bruno produced one of the surprises of the session. Racing for Team Trasimeno, Bruno qualified fifth and came within a fraction of a second of Ponziani despite her limited WorldWCR experience.

The strong showing from both Italians adds further intrigue to the Misano weekend, where local support is expected to be substantial.

Rookies Continue to Impress

Several newcomers delivered encouraging performances during qualifying.

• Karolina Danak claimed sixth place for Prata Motor Sport, her best Superpole result of the season so far.
• Yvonne Cerpa qualified seventh for MotosCerpa-Gradara Corse.
• Muklada Sarapuech and Chloe Jones completed the third row.

Another notable debut came from Justine Pedemonte, who is substituting for the injured Lucie Boudesseul this weekend. The GMT94 Yamaha rider rounded out the top ten with an impressive first appearance in the category.

Misano Expected to Deliver Close Racing

Misano has a reputation for producing tight battles in WorldWCR thanks to its technical layout and multiple overtaking opportunities.

With Ramos, Herrera, Neila, Ponziani and Bruno all showing strong pace on Friday, the leading group appears exceptionally close heading into race day.

Ramos herself predicted a hard-fought contest, suggesting that several riders have the pace to run at the front. If Friday’s qualifying session is any indication, the opening WorldWCR race at Misano could become one of the closest battles of the 2026 season.

Top Six Qualifiers – WorldWCR Misano Superpole