Chloe Jones (22) felt a weight lift off her shoulders: her first podium at last

Following a disappointing start to the 2026 Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship – WorldWCR for short – in Portimão (finishing only 13th and 14th), Chloe Jones secured placings between 4th and 9th at Assen and Balaton Park – solid results, though still below expectations given her six top-three finishes last year as a rookie.

At the Misano round, the 22-year-old finally broke through. Although starting from ninth on the grid, the Monster Crescent rider finished third in the first race, securing her first podium of the season. It was a thrilling finish with four riders within just 0.4 seconds of each other.

“A really great first race, an incredible feeling. This season has been so difficult so far, but I’ve got such a great team behind me, and now I’m just absolutely over the moon,” said Jones jubilantly. “I’m so happy to be back on the podium. My start wasn’t great, but I told myself I wouldn’t give up without a fight. I think I was down in 15th at one point, but I fought my way back up and was a bit more aggressive than usual. I’m enjoying riding much more now, which is important because you ride faster when you’re having fun. We’ve definitely taken a step forward, both with the bike and for me personally.”

Jones suffered a setback on Sunday. After a false start, she was handed a double long-lap penalty and finished tenth.

“The result doesn’t reflect my race,” says Jones. “My pace in the opening laps was faster than in the first race. So I felt that the gap to the front-runners was smaller. I also felt much more comfortable on the bike, which is another positive aspect ahead of my home race in a few weeks’ time.”

At Donington Park in 2025, Jones secured her first podium finish by coming third in the first race.