The 2026 WorldWCR grid hit the track at Portimao for the Official Test, marking the first time the riders lapped with the bikes they will race during the season. It was also the first opportunity for the full grid to ride together, allowing everyone to shake down their machines and fine-tune setups ahead of the season opener at the Portuguese venue this weekend (27–29 March).Official Test Highlights
- Maria Herrera (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR) topped the timesheets during the Official Test with a 1’52.728s, completing a solid 66 laps across the day. Paola Ramos (Klint Racing Team) followed in second place, 0.670s adrift of Herrera, after completing 74 laps and finishing as the fastest rookie on track. Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha) rounded out the top three with a best time of 1’54.398s. Wildcard entry for the Portuguese Round, Thai rider Muklada Sarapuech (EEST NJT Racing Team) made her first WorldWCR appearance and concluded the test in eighth position. Rookie Karolina Danek (Yamaha AD78 FIMLA) completed the highest number of laps over the Official Test, with 79 in total. Third in the championship in 2025, Chloe Jones (Monster Energy Crescent Yamaha) made a quiet start to her 2026 campaign, finishing inside the top 15 during the test.
P1 – Maria Herrera (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR):
“I’m very happy to start the season like this because I knew Paola would arrive very fast. We worked really well during the test here and I felt the same positive feeling from the bike. Step by step, I improved my lap time and in the end I was able to set the fastest lap. The battle is clearly with Paola at the moment. The bike is the same as last year, but my new team is giving me extra confidence and calmness, and I feel more relaxed. I’m happy with my performance and with the work we’ve done together as a team.”
P2 – Paola Ramos (Klint Racing Team):
“I feel very good with the bike and with myself, and I think we did a very good job today. We worked on all areas of the bike, suspension, front and rear, and tried many different things. I believe this weekend I can stay in the front group, like in Jerez. Let’s see how the race goes. For the season, the goal is to fight at the front, score as many points as possible and maybe fight for the championship at the end of the year.”
P3 – Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha):
“The positive thing about this test is that I worked really hard. I tried many things on the bike with both new and used tyres, and I’m proud because I made a big step forward. I hadn’t tested here before, so today I improved a lot session by session. I’m happy with the progress. For the season, the goal is to have fun, enjoy it and also try to win like last year.”
The 2026 Grid
- Fifteen returning riders feature on the 2026 WorldWCR grid, reinforcing its status as a benchmark series in women’s motorcycle racing.
- Defending Champion Maria Herrera returns in 2026 aiming to retain her WorldWCR crown. She begins a new chapter with Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR, adding an extra dimension to her title defence.
- Second and third in 2025, Beatriz Neila and Chloe Jones are back for their third and second seasons respectively. In 2026, the pair become teammates under the Crescent Yamaha structure, forming one of the strongest line-ups on the grid.
- Podium finishers across the championship’s first two seasons also return: Sara Sanchez (Hadden Racing Team), Roberta Ponziani (Klint Racing Team), Lucie Boudesseul (GMT94 Yamaha), and Tayla Relph (Full Throttle Racing). All continue with their previous teams, with the exception of Sanchez, who joins Hadden Racing Team for the new campaign.
- The experienced core is complemented by nine rookies, creating a diverse and competitive field. Among the newcomers is Paola Ramos, who made headlines by winning the final race of the 2025 season as a wildcard. She now steps up to a full-time ride with Klint Racing Team, the squad that secured the 2025 Riders’ title with Herrera.
- Historical Performance
- WorldWCR did not visit Portimao in 2025, but the Portuguese venue featured during the championship’s inaugural 2024 season.
- On that occasion, Maria Herrera claimed victory in Race 1 and followed it up with a podium finish in Race 2. Sara Sanchez was also a standout performer that weekend, securing two second-place finishes.
