Experienced rider Roberta Ponziani placed fourth in the 2025 WorldWCR championship, only narrowly missing out on the third step of the rostrum. Spaniard Paola Ramos is a category rookie, albeit one who has already had a taste of success. A wildcard at the closing round of the 2025 championship at Jerez, Ramos surprised her rivals to storm to victory in Race 2. The two riders now join forces for the 2026 season, competing for the Klint Racing Team, winners of the 2025 WorldWCR title with Maria Herrera.
While 18-year-old Paola takes on WorldWCR for the first time as a full-time entry, 29-year-old Roberta is already a pro, competing in the championship for the third consecutive year.
Roberta: “My first year here was an adventure because I had absolutely no world championship experience. Everything was new, the tracks, the environment, so it was a challenge. There were times when I didn’t really know what I was doing. But in the end, I think it went well and I was able to put in a strong performance. I was keen to demonstrate that I had the kind of pace and ability that would allow me to continue on in the championship. That was the goal and I think I succeeded.”
Paola:“I’ve been watching the WorldWCR races for three years, because we had been planning to come here at some point, so I had an idea as to how the championship worked. But there’s a big difference between watching it on TV and experiencing it for myself. It’s all quite different, but I’m approaching the year with a very calm and collected mentality and with no undue pressure, because in the end I am a rookie. The aim this season is to enjoy the experience, to make the most of it and, if possible, to win!”
While age and experience may differ, the learning process remains a constant…
Paola: “I’m a rookie and I have a lot to learn. Everyone else has a lot of experience in comparison. Maybe what I lack the most is experience when it comes to managing a race, particularly the final part of the race. Sometimes I get anxious, so perhaps I need to learn to manage that a little better and think more before taking action in the race. Then there is the riding itself, how to improve through certain sections of the track, for example; there’s a lot to work on.”
Roby: “I’m planning to concentrate on my race management, particularly my starts and on executing passes. I’d say those are my weak points, so my focus is on those aspects. I think I’ve learned from the mistakes I made in the last two years; I’m trying to ride and react better.”
Regardless of a rider’s previous experience with the Yamaha R7, there is always something to refine over the course of a race weekend.
Paola: “The race bike is very similar to my training bike, which is useful. That said, there are various aspects to refine over a race weekend because it’s similar but not exactly the same.”
Roby: “Although I have championship experience, the bikes are randomly assigned, which means they are not all the same when we get here. So there is always something to fix, especially in the first races of the season. And then we need to find the right setup for all the different tracks…”
| When it comes to handling pressure, both riders have a similar perspective. Paola: “In the end, I don’t put any real pressure on myself. I know many people are watching me after I won at Jerez at the end of last season, but it’s my rookie year and I don’t know many of the tracks, so I have a lot to learn. Like I said, I’ve come to have fun, and I appreciate that when you enjoy riding the bike, that’s when things start to come together. If I can keep learning learn and having fun, then the results will come.” Roby: “I don’t feel particular pressure either because this is what I like to do. If I had to compete under pressure and feel like I absolutely had to get the result at any cost, I wouldn’t have fun. Of course I want to win, and demonstrate that I’m strong, but I’m not doing that with any external pressure. If things start to go wrong, a lot of other things can go wrong as a result, so I do my best to stay mentally strong and keep my spirits up, because if I feel like giving up, it would be over.”What challenges do you expect this season? What challenges do you expect this season? Paola: “In my case, I’d say having to learn the tracks in such a short time, because we only have one 25-minute practice before we need to set a qualifying time! So that will be a challenge. I’ve never seen most of the circuits and I’ll need to get to grips with them fast. Heading into this 2026 season, I only know Portimão and Jerez!” Roby: “As for me, this is my third season but it’s the first year that I know all the tracks! In 2024, I only knew two and then last season I had experience of just two or three, just the Italian tracks and Jerez really. In terms of challenges, it’s more about the challenge I set myself, which is to keep improving my riding skills and, specifically, my overtaking; I want to be more assertive in that respect.” While Paola appreciates the support her team can provide, Roberta is keen to learn from her younger rival. Paola: “I think the Klint Racing Team can help me a lot; they are the reigning world champions after all. I have a lot to learn about how everything works, and I believe they can really help me build my performance. Robi too, of course, as she’s been competing here for three years and has a lot more experience than me. I can learn a lot from her. And hopefully she can learn something from me. I think there is always something to learn from others.” Roby: “I have more experience in this paddock, yes, but Paola’s already more than holding her own, so I don’t think I need to teach her anything really! But I agree that we can always learn from those around us. Paola’s younger, she’s more energetic, hungrier. That’s what I’m missing perhaps, so maybe she can help me there.” Separated in age by a decade, Roberta and Paola discuss their mental approach to the season. Paola: “I think we need to consider both the individual races and the season as a whole, because in the end there’s no way of knowing what might happen in the second round, regardless of whether the first round went totally to plan or completely wrong. You need to take things one race weekend at a time, but with some thought to the championship.” Roby: “I always try to take a race-by-race approach, but it’s normal that now, at 29, I must also think about what I want to do next year. There can be pressure, because if there is no result at the end of the season, it’s difficult to find a place on a team the following year. So I need to think about the race, but also the overall result.” The riders have no doubts as to what would constitute a successful weekend… Roberta: “Winning!” Paola: “Yes, that’s the idea. We’re all here for the same thing; we all come to win!” …and just how they plan to construct their respective 2026 season campaign. Roby: “The goal is to run up front, especially in the first races, to bank as many points as possible. And if everything goes well, we should be in the mix for the championship come the end of the year. Last year, I lost out on third place in the very last race. It would have been different to be in the top three. So, the aim this season is to be consistently up front; I know I can do it.” Paola: “I too am going to try to be part of the front group and score as many points as I can. That’s the plan. If I can stick with the frontrunners and learn as much as possible, and if we manage all the races well and can be consistent over the course of the championship, then I think we might be able to fight for the championship at the end of the season.” |
