Ornella Ongaro, 35, is a veritable powerhouse in the motorcycle racing world, with an incredible list of achievements to her name. The only French woman to have achieved both podiums and points in regional and national championships in mixed categories, she has now her sights set on being WorldWCR champion!
“When I saw this championship, I knew that after all my hard work in motorcycling, and with all my race experience, the first French woman to do this and that… I knew that this was my time, my chance for a comeback.”
“Iâve done a lot of work in France to promote motorcycling for women, and womenâs participation in racing, so when I heard about the creation of WorldWCR â something Iâve been wanting for a long time â with many fast women all racing against each other, I realised how important this is and so was keen to be part of this historic moment for womenâs motorcycling.”
Shifting perspectives, one chapter at a time
As one of the most experienced women riders competing today, Ornella is well positioned to offer her own insightful perspective on the challenges girls may face. She herself has battled to break down barriers, something she continues to do today.
“I had two main challenges throughout my career, the first was simply being a woman, because when youâre riding with the men, in this âmachoâ world, itâs really tough. When I won in France, I didnât feel I had the respect; people said that me beating the men was only confirmation of the low level of the championship. I also rode with Marc MĂĄrquez when I was young â he already had a lot of support and sponsors, but they didnât consider me in the same way, as a female rider. And then when you donât have a lot of money itâs even harder, because this sport is wonderful but itâs expensive. You canât just start like you might in football with no budget. So, you have to work hard, find sponsors, be physically prepared, everything. Itâs not easy!”
“I ran a full female team in 2014, but it was clear that we were ahead of our time! It was just too soon. I did it because I wanted to demonstrate that women can do just as good a job as the men. So, we had a female telemetrist and mechanic, and I was the rider, but the environment was still too âcoldâ for that kind of initiative, and it was hard to find support or sponsors. We did it for one season, with the help of a small sponsor, but then we had to let it go. Perhaps when I stop racing, I could try again and run a women-only team alongside my work to promote road safety in France. It might be nice! The challenge is finding the right people, because there are already some strong women working in the paddock, for sure, but theyâre already employed of course. But itâs a possibility. Iâve fought hard to get here, so yes, Iâd be ready for it.”
“Thereâs still a lot to do in France. Itâs difficult, because a lot of women like motorcycling but are nervous to take it to the racetrack. Itâs hard to convince those women that they can do it, and itâs also complex in that you canât create a series in which there are very experienced women up against women with little to no experience. Itâs not easy; getting women into motorcycling is an evolving process, and this is why this championship is an important step, but this world is still very âmachoâ in my view. The hope is that the situation will improve in the years to come. Itâs a process, because the problem is not limited to the bike world, itâs everywhere, you see it in everyday life, and so it will take a lot of work to improve. Itâs all about mentality, if young girls are brought up to think they shouldnât do sport or activities perceived as âdangerousâ, then they will carry this with them into adulthood. This needs to change, and it starts when kids are young, with what theyâre taught and exposed to at home and school.”
The long road back
Prior to entering the inaugural WorldWCR championship in 2024, Ornella had not raced for seven years, a decision motivated by some very challenging personal circumstances.
“The seven-year break was a very difficult period for me, with a lot of personal problems as well as serious illness for a loved one, and it was just a combination of factors that made for a very, very tough time. I was taking care of my niece, who now lives with me full-time, and there were other family problems too. I essentially looked after my niece from birth, I was the first to feed her! So I had to learn how to be a mum, essentially. And it was a complicated situation as you can imagine. You find that your life starts to revolve around the difficulties, and you have no time for anything else, no sport, no holidays, no time for myself, and I didnât really ride at all during that time, just a little with mini bikes but not much. I even came off social media because it really hurt to see others riders on track. Iâd been riding for 20 years, so it was hard. I can honestly say they were the seven toughest years of my life so far. I didnât have the headspace for riding, but I knew I would make a comeback. I just knew in my heart that I would return to competition, because racing is a great passion of mine, the most important thing after my niece. Motorcycling has essentially been my salvation in the tough times.”
“So when I saw this championship, I knew that after all my hard work in motorcycling, and after all my race experience, the first French woman to do this and that… I knew that this was my time, my chance for a comeback.”
The comeback continuesâŠ
Ornella has already accomplished so much, both on and off track, but she has no intention of stopping any time soon, her drive and motivation to compete still very much aflame. So, what does the future hold for the 35-year-old?
“The 2025 season hasnât started so well, to be honest. I donât want to ride around fighting for fifteenth and I know I can compete inside the top ten, something we saw at the Cremona test. I feel that I can achieve a top five or a podium this year, I feel that itâs possible. But if I didnât think it was possible, I wouldnât be here! My goal hasnât changed from the start of the year. As for next year, Iâd like to be fighting for wins in this championship. And Iâm hoping I can find the money to compete in a second championship alongside WorldWCR, a category with the men as thereâs no other women-only championship, just to keep the momentum and the rhythm.”
“I still plan to race until Iâm 40, thatâs the objective Iâve set myself. And after that Iâll dedicate time to promoting road safety in France, a project close to my heart and that Iâve already been involved in for a while, which I why you see the âSĂ©curitĂ© RoutiĂšre. Vivre, ensembleâ slogan on my leathers.”
“And then thereâs my niece. Sheâs six. It’s so funny because I was just saying that if she wants to ride, I wonât say no, but that I also wonât pressure her into riding in any way. And so, we were at the Cremona round, and she asked me if she could try riding the pocket bikes in the paddock. It was her first time, and she loved it, the only problem is she just wanted to go full throttle, no brakes! I was just the same when I was a kid⊔
