I’m disappointed having to sit out this weekend in Cremona. After speaking with Dr Antonie Martens who performed the surgery in France and Dr Michael McBride who is following my case at home in Belfast, both insist that the tendon graft and skin grafts on my right thumb need a little more time to heal and avoid any set backs. I am doing everything at home to be back at 100% as soon as possible. Thanks to everyone who is standing with me during this tough time
Source: Jonathan Rea On Facebook
The 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship has been a rollercoaster affair for Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). After starting the season with challenges through injury and not having the same feeling on the Panigale V4 R as last year, although he has signed a new contract for 2025 and had a better feeling in recent rounds. In a sit-down interview, the #1 discussed his new deal, goals for the end of the season and 2025, his rivalry with teammate Nicolo Bulega and how Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) has exceeded his expectations following the Turkish star’s move to BMW.
2025 SEAT SECURED: “I’m very happy to be here at least next year in WorldSBK”
After months of speculation about his future, Bautista put pen to paper on a new deal to see him through until the end of 2025 with the decision announced leading up to the French Round. The double Champion reflected on this during the interview, preferring to stay focused on the current season in order to end it on a high before starting next year in a better way compared to this season.
On his contract renewal and goals, Bautista said: “I’m so happy to renew the contract with Aruba Ducati because it’s a wish for me to keep racing and, in the end, we reached an agreement. I’m very happy to be here at least next year in WorldSBK. For next year, I prefer, as I always say, to take the decision year by year. My career has been very long. I just want to go year by year, and don’t want to put pressure on me or the team. The goal for 2025 is not clear yet. We have to finish 2024 and it’ll be important to end the season with a good feeling, in that I’m competitive and can ride the bike as I want. Then, we’ll think about ’25. At the moment, I want to use the remaining races of 2024 to recover the feeling again and push at 100%.”
THE SEASON SUMMED UP: “2024’s been very difficult… I think I will be a more complete rider”
Bautista secured 27 wins in 2023, a WorldSBK record for wins in a season, but 2024 has been a stark contrast. Two wins – in Barcelona and Assen – have been the main highlights although he’s secured 12 podiums in total. He sits third in the Riders’ Championship standings, behind Razgatlioglu and Bulega, although he’s more than 100 points back from leader Razgatlioglu. Bautista looked back on his season, which turned a corner at Most where he and the team found something to help the Spaniard with his feeling.
“I can say that 2024’s been very difficult,” stated Bautista. “For me, it was a difficult winter with my injury from last year. I wasn’t 100% clear on whether to keep racing because I had a lot of problems. I couldn’t sleep at night because I had a lot of pain. Nobody knew the reality of my injury, but it was one of the worst because, basically until last July, I couldn’t sleep without pain. It was really hard. After that, the feeling with the bike wasn’t the best at the beginning of the season but during the Most weekend, we found something that helped me a lot to recover the feeling. It was like a took off a big weight from inside. From there It was very clear I wanted to keep racing. In fact, I said my decision to keep racing publicly after the Most round because it was clear. I wanted to continue, and I didn’t want to finish my career like I started this season.”
He went on to discuss this season compared to his title-winning campaigns, saying: “In the last two seasons, I won the titles. This season, with my physical problems, the new rules, and the problem I found with the bike, I had to learn and improve on other abilities that maybe in 2022 and 2023, I didn’t use and now I have to use them. For the future, I think I will be a more complete rider.”
TEAMMATE RIVALRY: “The first rider you want to beat is your teammate…”
A well-known saying in motorsport is that the first rider you want to beat is your teammate and, in 2022 and 2023, Bautista managed that against Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing). This year is different for the Spaniard, with Bulega ahead in the standings, although Bautista did play the importance of beating his teammate down.
Discussing his rivalry with Bulega, Bautista said: “The first rider you want to beat is your teammate and it’s clear you want to be the first rider in the team. It’s a good target but it’s not something that worries me. If I can beat him, okay; if not, it doesn’t matter. I think Bulega is a very strong rider. I knew he could be competitive in WorldSBK. He has a lot of talent but he’s also a really good worker, he’s really fast and we are recovering from a really difficult start to the season. For me, it’s important that I can finish the season with a good feeling than the position I finish.”
RAZGATLIOGLU’S IMPRESSIVE FORM: “I thought he could be very competitive; maybe not as competitive as he has been!”
Razgatlioglu surged into the Championship lead after a run of 13 consecutive victories in WorldSBK, which came to a halt in France after he was declared unfit following his huge Free Practice 2 crash. ‘El Turco’ made the move to BMW for 2024 and sits 55 points clear of Bulega in the Championship standings, with Bautista praising his rival for his results this season, revealing that he expected Razgatlioglu to be competitive on the M 1000 RR but ‘maybe not as competitive as he has been’.
On Razgatlioglu’s form, Bautista said: “I think Toprak’s season is more than better! Already last year, I said it wasn’t a bad decision to go to BMW. I saw a good bike and I thought with the talent of Toprak, he can be very competitive; maybe not as competitive as he has been! They also have a lot of concessions. In the end, they worked really well and it’s good to have more competitiveness in the Championship. If next year, I can arrive to my best level and the bike, I think we can be very close. I also think that in the next rounds, if we get to our best level, we can be very close to him. If we compare my performance from last year with the performance of Toprak, it’s very similar. With the performance we had last year, this season we could fight almost every race with him. For sure, it would be more spectacular because last year I went alone and this year, he’s alone. I think if you could mix both seasons, it’d be a good fight! Maybe you could see it in the next rounds or next season.”
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Source: WorldSBK.com
Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) will miss the upcoming Acerbis Italian Round for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with Yamaha endurance and test rider Niccolo Canepa drafted in to replace the six-time Champion. Rea crashed at the end of the opening lap of Race 1 at Magny-Cours and sustained injuries to his hand which required surgery but will miss the visit to the Cremona Circuit as he focuses on his recovery.
Rea had been making gains on the Yamaha R1 in recent rounds and was hoping he could take advantage of mixed conditions in France to fight for a podium. However, at the Turn 16-17 chicane, both Rea and Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) came down at the same time in separate accidents, with the #65 going to the medical centre for a check-up and then hospital for further evaluation. He underwent surgery to repair a deep abrasion to his right thumb and, in his vlog, stated a recovery time of 2-3 weeks. The decision comes based on medical advice from the surgeon in France and a local medical team in Northern Ireland, although he is aiming to be back at the Aragon Round a week later.
With Cremona coming two weeks after the crash, Rea will be forced to sit on the sidelines for the Italian Round. He will be replaced by 2007 STK1000 title winner Canepa, whose retirement has been delayed by at least a week. Canepa had announced he would end his racing career after last weekend’s Bol d’Or but with his call-up to replace Rea, that’s been put on hold as he returns to WorldSBK action for the first time since 2018.
The Italian has competed in 79 WorldSBK races between 2008 and 2018, claiming a best finish of P7 on two occasions – in Race 1 at Moscow in 2012 and at Misano Race 1 in 2016. He took two wins and 16 podiums during his time in STK1000, including the 2007 title where he beat Claudio Corti by just four points. Canepa was also a three-time winner in STK600 as well as claiming a further seven podiums.
The 36-year-old has been a key part of Yamaha’s success in recent seasons as a test rider for the Japanese manufacturer, as well as a big part of their endurance racing success. He’s taken two world titles in EWC with Yamaha, and narrowly missed out on making it a third in 2024. He raced last weekend in France in the EWC season finale, finishing third alongside Marvin Fritz and Karel Hanika, but will be on track not long after as he races alongside Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) in an all-Italian line-up for the team.
Discussing his last-minute call-up, Canepa said: “The news may come as a bit of a surprise since I announced my retirement a couple of weeks ago! But to be honest, I am really proud to do one more race weekend – especially with this team, Pata Prometeon Yamaha, Crescent and Yamaha’s official R1 WorldSBK with this crew. I am really sorry for what happened with Jonathan, and I wish him a speedy recovery. On the other side I am thankful to Yamaha for this opportunity. It’s always great to race for this team and to race for Yamaha in WorldSBK. Cremona is a track that I don’t know so well, I just did a few laps one day with the Yamaha R7 for the WorldWCR shakedown and I am aware that it is going to be a challenging weekend in terms of performance. For my job as the WorldSBK test rider, we may have something to test and if I can give feedback to help the other Yamaha riders on track then it will be “mission accomplished”. I am really happy and looking forward to the “very last” race weekend of my career now, so let’s see what we can do!”
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Source: WorldSBK.com
Triumph has announced two Modern Classic models for 2025: the updated Triumph Speed Twin 1200 and a new up-spec version called the Speed Twin 1200 RS, which replaces the outgoing Thruxton.
The Speed Twin 1200 platform gets significant updates throughout, including an extra 5 hp from the high-torque Bonneville engine, chassis and suspension upgrades, new technology and electronics, and refreshed styling. Both models will begin arriving in dealerships in mid-December 2024.
Both the Speed Twin 1200 and the RS version receive an extra 5 hp from the 1,200cc parallel-Twin, now peaking at 103.5 hp at 7,750 rpm. Torque remains the same, peaking at 82.6 lb-ft at 4,250 rpm, and the engine continues to use a 270-degree firing order.
The Speed Twin 1200 gets new suspension, now with an inverted 43mm Marzocchi fork with 4.7 inches of travel and twin Marzocchi shocks with remote reservoirs, adjustable preload, and 4.6 inches of travel. It also gets new Triumph-branded radial front calipers paired with two 320mm discs, and it rides on Metzeler Sportec M9RR tires.
Triumph made some changes to the riding position to create a more spacious feel, including moving the handlebar higher and farther forward. The one-piece bench seat has also been tweaked to be shallower and more sculpted, and it’s now narrower at the front for easier stand-over.
New and upgraded components throughout the bike have been designed to retain the Modern Classic’s retro-meets-contemporary design. It features a new tank with raked lines and deep front cutouts, as well as a new flip-up fuel cap. The side panels are simpler and integrate into the new minimal throttle-body covers with brushed aluminum finish, and the black powdercoated engine casings are also new. The round headlight is housed in a new brushed aluminum bezel, and the bike receives new cast-aluminum wheels.
Technology includes two ride modes (Road and Rain), cornering ABS, and traction control. The new LCD and TFT displays are encased in a classic circular dial and allow turn-by-turn navigation and phone connectivity, and the USB-C charging port is concealed to retain the bike’s classic style.
The 2025 Triumph Speed Twin 1200 will be available in two split-color designs. Both designs feature Sapphire Black in the lower section and a bold 1200 tank graphic, with either Crystal White or Carnival Red in the upper section. An Aluminum Silver option with discreet 1200 numbering and twin black stripes will also be available. Pricing starts at $13,595.
The Speed Twin 1200 RS is a sportier version of the Speed Twin 1200 and acts as an evolutionary next step from the outgoing Thruxton model. The RS receives sportier ergonomics, up-spec suspension and brakes, an extra ride mode, and Triumph Shift Assist, which is included here for the first time on a Triumph Modern Classic.
Related: 2025 Triumph Thruxton Final Edition | First Look
On the RS, the rear of the bike is raised, and the seat height is slightly higher at 31.9 inches compared to the Speed Twin 1200’s 31.7 inches. The seat also gets a napped finish with stitch detailing. The handlebar is at the same height but is moved farther forward, and the footpegs are slightly raised and farther back.
The RS features a fully adjustable Marzocchi inverted fork (4.7 inches travel) and fully adjustable Öhlins twin shocks (4.8 inches travel) with remote reservoirs. Replacing the Triumph-branded brake components of the Speed Twin 1200 are two 320mm front discs with Brembo Stylema M4.30 radial calipers and a 220mm rear disc with a Nissin 2-piston floating caliper. The RS also rides on Metzeler Racetec RR K3 tires and features brushed aluminum front and rear fenders.
On the electronics side, the Speed Twin 1200 RS benefits from the addition of Triumph Shift Assist, an up/down quickshifter. It also gets the addition of Sport ride mode, which sharpens throttle response and optimizes traction control.
The 2025 Triumph Speed Twin 1200 RS will be available in Baja Orange or Sapphire Black, both with gold RS decals to match the anodized suspension components. Pricing starts at $15,995.
More than 50 genuine accessories will be available for these two models, including clip-on bars, a quilted bullet seat, a seat cowl, and more.
Visit the Triumph website for more information.
Check out more new bikes in Rider’s 2025 Motorcycle Buyers Guide
The post 2025 Triumph Speed Twin 1200 and Speed Twin 1200 RS Preview appeared first on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com
Marvin Fritz will replace Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) during the Acerbis Italian Round with the Swiss rider still recovering from injuries he sustained while training in Austria. Fritz has been racing in the EWC for Yamaha and will make his MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship return at the Cremona Circuit, having not raced in the Championship since Portimao in 2021.
Fritz, along with Niccolo Canepa and Karel Hanika, finished second in EWC this year, including finishing fourth in the Bol d’Or which took place last weekend. Fritz’s last race in WorldSBK at Portimao in 2021, where he finished outside of the points, and it was similar at the Circuito Estoril earlier in the season. In 2021, he raced in WorldSBK twice, scoring a 10th place finish at the Autodrom Most as a wildcard rider.
In 2017, the German rider competed in six STK1000 races and took a best finish of P10 on two occasions – at Aragon and the Lausitzring – finishing 15th in the Championship standings. Five years before that, he raced in STK600 with his best finish coming at Imola when he secured 12th place. Fritz is a domestic champion in Germany, winning that title in 2016 as well as the German Supersport title in 2014. In 2023, he was crowned champion in endurance racing for Yamaha.
Discussing his return to WorldSBK, Fritz said: “First of all, I would like to wish Dominique a speedy recovery! I cannot wait to be in Cremona, to ride for the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team and the Yamaha R1 in the WorldSBK is like a dream for me, I’ll take care of Domi’s bike. I’ll have to adapt to a lot of things as since my last wild card in Portimao (2022) things have changed, but I’ll try to enjoy the weekend and do my best, having no pressure. I’m looking forward to meeting all the team, I’m confident it’ll be a nice experience.”
Fritz will race alongside regular rider Remy Gardner at Cremona, with the Australian aiming to keep up his strong season at a circuit he tested at previously. He was quick at the test in May, albeit with different conditions, and he has often been the top Yamaha rider this season. Fritz, who will race with the #17, will link up with the #87 at GRT Yamaha on the Yamaha R1, a bike that Fritz knows well albeit in endurance specification.
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Source: WorldSBK.com
The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship heads to a new venue for the 2024 Acerbis Italian Round as the Cremona Circuit hosts WorldSBK action for the first time. It means that any form guide about the track itself has limited information but there are still key numbers that could provide insight into the round, with some milestones coming up. Check out some key numbers below.
268 – In his next start, Michael van der Mark will equal Chaz Davies in eighth in the all-time list (268 starts).
160 – With two races run in Cremona, the total number of races on Italian soil will go up to 160.
71 – Toprak Razgatlioglu’s partnership with BMW is running at record pace. His forced stop in Magny- Cours has kept his record numbers “frozen”. He has won 15 races out of 21 so far (71,4%). Among the riders who raced at least 20 times for a manufacturer, his best rival is Ben Spies with Yamaha: 14 out of 28 (50%). Doug Polen (26/54, 48,1%) and Alvaro Bautista (61/131, 46,5%) follow for Ducati.
54/59 – Current bike #54 counts 54 WorldSBK wins and while Carl Fogarty is temporarily out of reach at Cremona (59 wins: 3rd all-time spot), the countdown is on!
53 – Cremona is the 53rd track in WorldSBK history. It follows Navarra, Most and Mandalika, all introduced in 2021.
29/32 – Countdown time for BMW: 28 wins so far, three shy of 6th in the all-time list held by Suzuki.
22/25/16 – Jonathan Rea holds the record for most wins at a new circuit, with 22, although he won’t be able to extend that at Cremona. He also holds it for podiums and poles, with 25 and 16 respectively. The next best on the 2024 grid is Alvaro Bautista, with 15 wins, 16 podiums and 8 poles.
11/20 – Nicolo Bulega has passed the halfway mark towards the record of second places in a season: he counts 11 now, with his title rival Razgatlioglu holding the record at 20, set last year. The second all- time value is 16 by Jonathan Rea in 2019, the third is 12 (Scott Russell 1993; Alvaro Bautista 2022). Curiously, the weekends in which he won at least one race (Phillip Island, Magny-Cours) are the only ones in which he didn’t finish 2nd in any race.
9/10 – Of the 10 podiums Razgatlioglu and Bulega have shared, they have finished 1-2 in nine of them with Razgatlioglu winning.
7 – Cremona is the 7th Italian track in history. It follows: Pergusa (2 races in 1989); Monza (43 races from 1990 to 2013); Misano (67 races from 1991 to 2024); Mugello (6 races from 1991 to 1994); Imola (36 races from 2001 to 2023); Vallelunga (4 races in 2007 and 2008). Italy thus reaches Spain for the highest number of tracks used in the history of the Championship. The Spanish tracks are Jerez, Jarama, Albacete, Valencia, Aragon, Barcelona, Navarra.
3 – When Bulega has claimed victory in WorldSBK, Razgatlioglu hasn’t been on the podium (Australia Race 1, Magny-Cours Superpole Race and Race 2).
3 – Bulega is aiming to be the first rookie to win three consecutive races since teammate Bautista did in 2019.
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Source: WorldSBK.com
The final third of the year will flash on by in less than month from Cremona to Jerez in the FIM Supersport World Championship title race and it has intensified at exactly the right time. By the time racing gets going at the new Cremona Circuit, it’ll have been two months since Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) tasted victory despite being Championship leader, whilst Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) has taken three out of the last four wins, getting the gap down from 46 to 14 points.
NEW TRACK, SAME RIVALRY: the fight at the top builds
A new circuit yes but not entirely new for Huertas, who tested there back in May and got vital laps in on his Ducati V2. He needs to strike back and despite not winning since Most, he’s only had two podiums in the last four races. He needs a win and now with the gap at 14 points, he can’t afford errors. Montella on the other hand has momentum on his side, beating the Championship leader in three of the last four races. Cremona will be vital to see who has the momentum heading into the first of two double-headers, whilst there’s pride at stake: the Italian round is the one every Italian rider wants to win, although Huertas is also keen to put his Ducati on top. Anything’s possible and whilst Stefano Manzi’s 50 points down on Huertas, he’ll be hoping for a Montella-esque turnaround, beginning at home this weekend.
BATTLE FOR P4: 5 riders covered by 36 points
It’s a 77 point gap back to Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. Yamaha WorldSSP Team) in fourth place but from then on, it’s close behind. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) is fifth and 14 back of Debise, whilst a further nine behind is Jorge Navarro (Orelac Racing VerdNatura). Another point splits Navarro and Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME Air Racing) who was on the podium last time out in France, as was Glenn van Straalen (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) who is just 12 behind the Italian. In total, P4 to P8 is covered by 36 points and with Cremona being new, expect fireworks in that specific battle. Niki Tuuli (EAB Racing Team) returned to winning ways and climbed to ninth overall in the Championship, whilst 2017 WorldSSP Champion Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) completes the top ten.
TOP 10 FIGHT: can anyone crack it this weekend?
11th place may belong to Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) but that could be temporarily, with the Turkish star having tested at the circuit back in May. Then, there’s Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph), who has had seven top ten finishes in the last nine races and wants to convert that into a top ten overall in the standings. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing WorldSSP Team) are right behind him though and both keen to strike. After a second top ten of the 2024 season, Tom Edwards (D34G Racing WorldSSP Team) consolidated his position as lead WorldSSP Challenge rider.
HOUSEKEEPING: familiar faces back on the WorldSSP grid
As ever, there’s always new faces to mention and in some cases, familiar ones too. Borja Gomez (VIAMO Racing by MTM) is in for Marcel Brenner, Lorenzo Dalla Porta (VFT Racing Yamaha) replaces Yeray Ruiz once more and Miquel Pons (Team ProDina Altogoo) replaces Gabriele Giannini. There’s also a wildcard in Luca Ottaviani (Extreme Racing Services) aboard the MV Agusta F3 800 RR, who will make his 15th appearance in the class – his career-best of P11 was equalled earlier in the year at Misano.
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Source: WorldSBK.com
Like the Shoei Neotec 3 modular helmet, we subjected the Nelson-Rigg Traveler Tour Motorcycle Trunk Bag and smaller Traveler Lite Motorcycle Trunk Bag to a nine-day, 4,200-mile torture test.
Both bags are part of Nelson-Rigg’s Route 1 line of cruiser luggage. The Traveler Tour Motorcycle Trunk Bag that I tested holds 63 liters (expandable to 73.5 liters), and the Traveler Lite Motorcycle Trunk Bag tested by my wingman Eric Birns holds 35 liters.
The main difference between the two bags is size. Both are made of durable UltraMax fabric, which has a lifetime warranty against fading from sun exposure, and their rigid construction maintains shape even when empty. They have lockable zippers, mesh pockets inside the lid and main compartment, carry handles, reflective piping, and adjustable quick-release straps at each corner for securing them to the bike. The larger Tour bag also has three zippered outer pockets and a 360-degree expansion zipper.
We loaded the bags with gear and mounted them on two Harley-Davidson touring bikes. Eric mounted the Lite bag on the luggage rack atop our Road Glide’s chopped Tour-Pak. I mounted the Tour bag in two positions on our Street Glide: during two 700-mile days on the interstate, I put it on the passenger seat, which kept the bag out of the wind and provided a backrest; for the rest of the trip, I mounted it on the luggage rack like Eric did, which is its typical mounting location.
Once mounted, the bags provided easy access to essentials like extra layers, rainsuits, and snacks, and the mesh pockets under the lid were ideal for maps, extra gloves, and other smaller items. The bags are lined with light gray fabric that makes it easy to see the contents. The Tour bag is large enough to hold two full-face helmets, and the Lite will hold one.
See all of Rider‘s luggage reviews here
When we got to our hotel each night, we’d simply undo the four quick-release buckles and carry the bags inside. In the morning, we’d place the bags on the luggage racks, connect the buckles, and then adjust the straps as needed. It was an easy, convenient routine. And regardless of riding conditions – high speeds on the interstate in crosswinds, aggressive cornering with the bikes tossed from side to side, etc. – the bags stayed in place and our gear remained secure.
Both bags come with waterproof covers, which we used during a heavy downpour on our last day. Pro tip: Even though the rain covers have an elastic hem at the bottom, make sure to thread the mounting straps through the holes in each corner of the cover. I put the cover on in a rush and failed to do that, and it nearly blew off on Interstate 15. (If you make that mistake, a replacement rain cover is $19.95.)
These are high-quality, stylish bags that look good on any touring bike, regardless of make or model. The Nelson-Rigg Traveler Tour Motorcycle Trunk Bag (NR-300) retails for $259.95, and the Traveler Lite Motorcycle Trunk Bag (NR-250) retails for $169.95.
The post Nelson-Rigg Traveler Tour/Lite Motorcycle Trunk Bag Review | Gear appeared first on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com
Track Day Tips – Donington Park
Thanks again to Cheshire Mouldings & Woodturnings Ltd for allowing us to bring you this series.
Guys welcome back to the 5th and final episode of “Cheshire Mouldings Track Day Pro Tips”. It’s been a really cool experience being able to interact with you…
Source: Jonathan Rea On Facebook
The 2024 FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship has brought great racing right the way through the first of its inaugural season and promises a grandstand finish to decide who the Champion will be. However, who are the stars that make history, inspire the next generation and chase the dream of becoming World Champion? We get to know a bit more about Astrid Madrigal (ITALIKA Racing FIMLA), from her on-track success which has seen her in the top seven, to her love of dogs and other furry friends away from the track.
MEXICAN SUCCESS: putting her country on the map
Astrid Madrigal is a 24 year-old rider from Chihuahua in Mexico who has blazed a trail on the national scene in her home country and in Latin America, showing her talent and earning a wildcard ride in WorldSSP300 in 2023, before joining the grid for the inaugural WorldWCR season. Inspired by sporting icons such as Ayrton Senna and Serena Williams, Madrigal wants to create pathways for more young female riders like herself from Mexico and the Americas to make it onto the world stage.
Following in the footsteps of her father, who competed in Superbike racing in Mexico, Madrigal continued her early development riding supercross, improving her technique and speed. At the age of 13 she entered Mexico’s national Superbike championship and from there she advanced consistently to become Latin American champion, Ibero American Champion and Pan American Champion. In 2023 she raced in the ESBK Supersport 300 series in Spain and at the WorldSBK Aragon Round she became the first Latin American woman to race in the WorldSSP300 championship. This year, she aims to finish in the WorldWCR’s Top 5.
THE BEGINNING IN HER OWN WORDS: “My father always had motorcycles in the house”
Describing her first encounters with the sport, Madrigal said: “My first ever memory is with my father and me on my first motocross bike. My first motorcycle was a PW50 on a supercross track. I crashed and I didn’t want to carry on anymore on the bike, but then my father picked me up, gave me a kiss and we continued. I was six years old and it was the first time I’d got on a motorcycle. At age eight more or less I started competing. My father always had motorcycles in the house, so it was something very normal for me.”
MOVING IN PURSUIT OF THE DREAM: Mexico’s capital awaited
As a youngster, Madrigal relocated from her native Chihuahua to Mexico City to focus on improving her riding skills and to pursue the dream of becoming a professional rider. Initially encouraged by her father, she has developed her racing ability to the elite level under the tutelage of ITALIKA Racing director Jorge Perez. She also participated in the Road to MotoGP™ programme.
WOMEN IN MOTORSPORT: “I’ve helped many girls to fulfil their dreams”
Madrigal has been campaigning to promote the involvement of professional female riders in Mexico for many years. She is therefore delighted that the WorldWCR has become a reality and that she is a part of this new chapter in racing. “I’ve been doing the work of promoting motorcycles in Mexico and Latin America for many years,” she said. “I have helped many girls to fulfil their dreams and been able to help them improve on and off the circuit. So I feel I’ve been part of it, making the noise to help make the women’s World Championship possible.” Not only that; she is also very proud to be an ambassador for the FIM in Latin America and represent Mexico and Latin America on the world stage.
FROM WATCHING TO INSPIRING: always learning from the best in the world
Madrigal says that watching the likes of Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner, Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Marquez in action, studying their riding styles and technique on the bike, had a big impact on her development. She is now enjoying exploring the world of racing outside her home country and lists Portimao and MotorLand Aragon as her favourite tracks, thanks to their exciting elevation changes.
AWAY FROM RACING: PAWS for thought
Whilst racing is her passion, she also loves animals. In addition to being the proud owner of a pug called Patrick, Madrigal is involved in a foundation which takes care of stray dogs, improving their health and wellbeing. The facility which she helped set up is now home to more than 300 dogs. She also looks after rabbits at her home, with a colony of 25 rabbits living on her property.
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Source: WorldSBK.com