World Champion Maria Herrera: WorldWCR tougher than MotoE and the Supersport World Championship

Maria Herrera’s career is impressive. The Spaniard made her international debut in 2013 and competed in her first full season in Moto3 in 2015. This was followed by a year in the Supersport 300 World Championship (2018), three in the Supersport World Championship (2019–2021), as well as competing partly in parallel in MotoE (2019–2025) and, since 2024, the Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship. By winning the 2025 Women’s World Championship, Herrera achieved her greatest sporting success to date.

In her third season in the WorldWCR, the 29-year-old leads the overall standings well ahead of Beatriz Neila. The women’s-only racing series is by no means a walk in the park. “Some people think that female riders are slower or less aggressive, but I’m very impressed. It’s a challenge every year,” emphasised the experienced Herrera. “In the WorldWCR, we’re pushing the motorbikes to the limit, and this year the standard is incredibly high! The motorbikes are the same for everyone, which ensures a level playing field.”

Even when compared to mixed-gender racing series, Herrera speaks highly of the WorldWCR. “So you have to fight harder and be more precise in certain details than might be required in another category such as MotoE or the Supersport World Championship,” said the GRT rider. “In 2024, my debut season, I was even more nervous, but now I feel comfortable on the motorbike and I’m stronger than I was back then. I’m also more consistent in every session, whether it’s practice, the warm-up or the race – and in my opinion, that’s crucial. For the second race, I’ll need to tweak my strategy a little and lose some weight to be faster on the straights. Overall, though, I’m feeling more confident this season.”