Times rapidly fell at the Cremona Circuit on Day 2 of the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship as weather conditions improved and the 23-strong field got more mileage under their belt. Friday morning’s action was topped by Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) after she set the first 1’42s lap of the Italian venue in the fourth session of the day, with most riders finding a huge chunk of time as the day progressed.
With the sun shining in Cremona after yesterday’s rain, riders were finding plenty more time as they continued to adapt to the circuit, bike, and tyres. The majority were able to improve their team in the latter stages of the morning with more experience of the Yamaha R7 and Pirelli tyres under their belt, with the fastest time in the morning on Friday around three seconds quicker than Thursday’s fastest time.
Ponziani’s best time was a 1’42.438s, which the Italian set in the middle of the final 20-minute session of the morning action. She was the first rider throughout the test to set a time in the 1’42s bracket, finishing around six tenths clear of Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) in second. Like Ponziani, Carrasco found time as the morning progressed, with her best time a 1’43.044s. Third place belonged to Czech rider Adela Ourednickova (DafitMotoracing) after she set a 1’43.374s, around three tenths behind the 2018 WorldSSP300 Champion.
German teenager Lucy Michel (TSL-Racing) put in a late lap in the fourth session to haul herself up to P4 overall, setting a 1’43.446s and demoting Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) into fifth with just two hundredths of a second separating the pair. Beatriz Nelia (Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha) completed the top six with a 1’43.847s, and she found her place in the top six under threat from Australia’s Tayla Relph (TAYCO Motorsport) with just 0.002s separating the pair.
Relph had to settle for seventh and she was around half a tenth clear of Jessica Howden (Team Trasimeno) in eighth. Her time, a 1’43.902s, was two tenths quicker than Pakita Ruiz (PS Racing Team 46+1) in ninth, with the Spaniard closing the morning with a 1’44.147s. However, her session was disrupted by a crash although she was okay and returned to the pitlane. Isis Carreno (AD78 FIM Latinoamerica by Team GP3) rounded out the top ten with a 1’44.494s.
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The first collective track action for the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship took place at the Cremona Circuit in Italy, with Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) taking advantage of dry conditions in the morning to end the day on top. With rain falling in the afternoon, times didn’t improve after the second session which allowed the Spaniard to secure P1 on Day 1 of the test. With the season starting at Misano in a month, the test will prove valuable for the grid to get accustomed to their Yamaha R7 machines and Pirelli tyres even with wet conditions impacting Day 1.
DRY RUNNING ORDER: Carrasco leads Michel and Ourednickova
The best times of the day were set in the morning as rain fell and thunder blared at around 14:00 Local Time (UTC+2), forcing everyone to swap from Pirelli’s slick tyres to the wet tyres. It meant Carrasco, the 2018 WorldSSP300 Champion, was fastest on Day 1 with a 1’45.949s, four tenths clear of 19-year-old Lucy Michel (TSL-Racing) in second. Third place belonged to Adela Ourednickova (DafitMotoracing), who set a 1’47.250s to round out the top three. However, the Czech rider was the first crasher of the test, coming down at the end of the straight in the fourth session.
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Action is underway at Cremona as the #WorldWCR riders hit the track for the first time
Ran Yochay (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) just missed out on a place in the top three when she set a 1’47.455s, just two tenths away from Czech rider Ourednickova ahead. It was closely-contested in the 20-minute Free Practice 1 session – the final dry session of the day – with the USA’s Mallory Dobbs (Sekhmet Motorcycle Racing Team) in fifth, a tenth behind Yochay, and Australia’s Tayla Relph (TAYCO Motorsport) in sixth. The Brisbane-born competitor was fastest in the 10-minute Warm Up session that started the day to start her campaign strongly at a circuit she was riding at for the first time.
NINE COUNTRIES IN THE TOP NINE: quick riders from all over the world
Chun Mei Liu (WT Racing Team Taiwan) secured a seventh-place finish on Day 1 after setting a 1’48.545s, finishing almost two tenths ahead of Jessica Howden (Team Trasimeno) in eighth. Just half a tenth separated Howden in P8 and Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) in ninth, with the Italian setting a 1’48.712s. Nine different nationalities were represented in the top nine on Day 1, showcasing the diversity of the inaugural WorldWCR field. Nicole Van Aswegen (Andalaft Racing) completed the top ten with a 1’50.086s, around 1.4 seconds slower than Ponziani ahead.
THE RAIN FALLS: times don’t improve in the afternoon
Despite rain falling, the WorldWCR field took advantage to test the Yamaha R7 in wet conditions. Michel was the first rider to head out in the third session, followed quickly by Ornella Ongaro (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) and Nicole Van Aswegen (Andalaft Racing). The fastest time came from Chun Mei Liu (WT Racing Team Taiwan) in the fourth session as she posted a 1’54.139s, only 0.138s clear of Dobbs in second after she set a 1’54.277s. Third place went to Relph, who was a second away from Mei Liu’s time, but also almost 1.5 seconds faster than Astrid Madrigal (ITALIKA Racing FIMLA) in fourth.
The two-day Cremona Circuit test for the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship gives riders the chance to get used to their Yamaha R7 machines, in both dry and wet conditions after rain fell in Italy. Lucy Michel (TSL-Racing) was one of the fastest riders on track in the dry, and one of the first to test the wet conditions, and she reviewed her day after finishing second out of the 23 riders at the test.
19-year-old Michel was second in the combined timings for the first three sessions, which was composed of a 10-minute Warm Up session to start the day and then two Free Practice sessions which lasted 20 minutes. Her best time was 1’46.349s, lapping exactly four tenths slower than pacesetter Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) who lapped Cremona in 1’45.949s. In the fourth session – another 20-minute Free Practice – the German rider was eighth fastest, posting a 2’00.034s as rain began to fall.
Looking back on her first day with the Yamaha R7, the bike all competitors will ride, Michel said: “It’s an amazing feeling. The track is so nice and I’m feeling so good on the bike. The wet conditions were very difficult for me. I learnt today more feeling about the bike and in the rain. It’s my first time riding the bike in the wet conditions. The plan for tomorrow is to keep learning, tomorrow should have good weather.”
Despite her young age, Michel has a vast amount of experience to her name after competing in German championships. She raced in the IDM Supersport 300 series last year, finishing in 21st place, while she has also been a points scorer in the ADAC Junior Cup. She’s tasted podium success in the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU Cup in Germany, doing the double at Schleizer Dreieck in 2022 as a guest rider.
The Cremona test gave her the opportunity to try the Yamaha R7 bike that she’ll race with in 2024 as she competes in the first season of WorldWCR. It’s been a strong start for the teenager so far despite tricky conditions and limited running, but Michel will feel positive heading into Day 2 after securing a top-three spot so soon into her WorldWCR career.
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Tayla Relph (TAYCO Motorsport) made a small bit of FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship history on Thursday at Cremona as the Australian topped the first-ever session in the new Championship. She was quickest in Warm Up which started the two-day test in Italy and finished the day inside the top six at a track she hadn’t competed at before. After the action concluded, she spoke about her first day on track and explained why she’s competing in WorldWCR this season.
The first action started with a 10-minute Warm Up session which Relph topped, setting a 1’50.113s to write her name in the history books as the first rider to top a WorldWCR session. Although unable to keep her place at the top during the next session – a 20-minute Free Practice 2 outing – the Australian was able to secure sixth place with a 1’47.631s, lapping 1.6 seconds slower than pacesetter Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team).
Reflecting on her strong day and small bit of history, Relph said: “In my first session here, I definitely didn’t expect to be topping the timesheets. I’ve never ridden here before, never ridden the bike in Europe before and we only came here last week. To top the very first session for the history-making WorldWCR is a little bit of a dream come true. I didn’t even think about that! I’m loving this bike, feeling right at home in this paddock and you can tell it’s such a family environment.”
Relph, who has also competed in her native Australia in the Supersport 300 Championship, also went on to explain what her plan was for the second and final day of action on Friday. The 27-year-old also expressed how she hopes her participation in the Championship will help grow the sport for women, explaining that she didn’t have many role models growing up and how she would feel if just one more woman got involved in motorsport thanks to her competing on the world stage.
The rider from Warrnambool said: “The plan for tomorrow is to learn a bit more. I wish we had one more session in the dry. But when it rains it means you can work on the technical parts of the circuit. We’ve shown the pace in the dry and in the wet so now it’s time to put it all together for tomorrow. There’s not enough representation in Australia, we race against the men. I didn’t have a lot of role models in racing growing up, so if I can just convince one more woman to get involved in this sport in Australia, that’s a World Championship to me.”
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2024 marks the start of the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship and the first glimpse of the field came at the recently renovated Cremona Circuit in northern Italy. 23 riders gathered at the circuit to mark WorldWCR’s track debut, with action kicking off on Thursday at midday local time (UTC+2). Check out the first images from the WorldWCR field’s first track outing in the gallery at the top of this page!
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The inaugural season of the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship is just readying to get underway next month at Misano but there’s plenty of track action to look forward to until then. 30-year-old American Mallory Dobbs (Sekhmet Motorcycle Racing Team) has been racing in MotoAmerica’s Supersport category but this year will join plenty more in taking part in the first-ever WorldWCR season.
“IT’S SO MUCH OF AN HONOUR” – Dobbs set for world stage debut
Speaking about being a part of the Championship, Dobbs stated: “It’s so much of an honour; I didn’t think I’d be doing it! I am so stoked, I’ve been talking about it since the end of January even though some people were saying I didn’t seem that excited! I’m ready to go and ride like every racer is. We’ve been training on and off track, doing as much riding as possible. Obviously, the gym as well with running and other cardio. We haven’t been able to train much on the R7. We’ve been trying to acquire a testing bike in America which is obviously a bit of a hard thing. I wish we could be riding more but I’m excited.”
“WE’VE GOT A LOT OF GOALS” – can American star rise to the top?
Embarking on European soil for the first time also has its attraction: “I’ve actually never been to Europe; I’ve left the USA twice in my life and went to Mexico! It’s really exciting to go to Europe and see the places but also race on some iconic race tracks. Cremona is new but Misano, Portimao and all the places you see on TV; I get to go and ride them.”
Targetting strong showings from the start, will she be able to fight at the front? “We’ve got a lot of goals and set our sights pretty high. I raced in MotoAmerica last year for a full year on a Supersport bike, so I have expectations for myself. There’s not a lot of people who know about me and my expectations as I’ve never raced with any of these girls. My expectations are high for me personally but I don’t know. We’ll see when we get on the race track and start doing times.”
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L-R: Perry Steed, Jason Conyers, and Bruce Knobloch getting in some practice miles before their Ride for Light to raise awareness of veteran suicide.
Just because his first mission is complete doesn’t mean the battle is over for Perry Steed. In May 2022, the former Army paratrooper set out on his first Ride for Light, hitting 48 states on his BMW R 1200 GS and carrying the ashes of two brothers in arms. His goal was to raise awareness for the issue of veteran suicide. Two years later, Steed is taking a second Ride for Light, but this time, he’s kicking it up a notch, taking the show on the road – or more appropriately, making the road into a show.
The 2024 Ride for Light will still be under the banner of Operation: Purpose, the 501(c)(3) that Steed set up to foster and nurture a community of veterans in Wilmington, North Carolina, which has a large military population. However, the ride itself is more about the larger epidemic of veteran suicide. And this time, Steed won’t be riding alone.
“We’re a blended crew this year,” he told me. “I’ve got my battle buddy who I actually grew up with. He and I joined the Army within a couple of days of each other. We had the same job, went through basic training and AIT (advanced individual training) together, and were at Fort Bragg together.”
L-R: Perry Steed, Bruce Knobloch, and Jason Conyers.
Steed said Bruce Knobloch came to see him the night Steed’s oldest child was born, but after that the two men lost track of each other for almost 19 years until reconnecting this past summer.
Knobloch has been a motorcycle enthusiast for 20 years. When the two met up after all those years and the 2022 Ride for Light came up in conversation, Knobloch told Steed that he would’ve gone along if he had known about it.
“I told him, ‘Well, I’m doing it again.’”
The other addition to the crew is cinematographer Jason Conyers.
“When I got back from my 2022 ride, I joined the American Legion and became a Legion Rider because they really showed up and supported me,” Steed said, adding that one of the Legion Riders he met was Conyers, who was out of the Navy and had a film studies degree. “I was telling him what I was wanting to do, and he’s like, ‘Well, I’ll go with you, and I’ll document the whole thing.’”
Steed tapped some of his other resources, including a film studies professor at the University of Colorado and an art director for North Carolina PBS, who told him that once a documentary gets on one PBS station, the other states will pick it up.
“Of course, I gotta be censored a little bit,” Steed said. “I can’t just let it fly, but that’s fine.”
The 2024 Ride for Light began taking shape. There was just one glitch. On the 2022 Ride for Light, Steed had taken several opportunities to ride his GS off-road. This was something he wanted to do even more for the 2024 ride. When it came to Knobloch, Steed said if there was anyone in the high school yearbook with the caption “Least likely to own a Harley-Davidson,” it would’ve been Knobloch, yet that’s all he had owned since. He recently traded a CVO Street Glide for a Pan America.
However, Conyers had a Low Rider.
“I told him, ‘You ain’t going with me on that bike.’”
Unsure what to do, Steed got on a call with a guy he met through some restoration work Steed had done on a 1961 BMW R50S. He told Steed “consider me a friend” and offered up business advice.
1961 BMW R50S restored by Perry Steed.
“I needed someone who was not close to me that I could run some of this shit by, because everything I say, people are like ‘Yeah, man, that’s a great idea.’ I know not all my ideas are great, and I need someone who will tell me, ‘That’s freakin’ stupid.’”
During the phone call with Sean Slovenski, Steed explained Operation: Purpose and the Ride for Light, and in a stroke of good fortune, Slovenski donated two bikes: a 2010 BMW R 1200 GS with just 15,000 miles on it and a 2009 BMW R 1200 RT.
“He said, ‘Do whatever you want with the bikes,’” Steed said, adding that Slovenski recognized that the RT didn’t necessarily fit with the trip. Slovenski told Steed he could sell it to help fund the trip and that Conyers could ride the GS.
With the bikes lined up, the trio set a launch date for May 18 from Beaufort, South Carolina, after they attend an event with Operation Patriots FOB, a veterans and first responders support group.
Working with Bruce on his bike, adding Denali D7 lights and a few other parts before the trip.
Steed told me the plans for the ride with a mix of excitement and reverence for the places they’ll be riding and visiting.
They’ll start with the South Carolina Adventure Route – or SCAR.
“We’re gonna ride part of that from Beaufort up to Suches, Georgia, and then we’ll head backcountry through Tennessee and Kentucky to get up to Louisville,” he said, adding that the good thing about the SCAR for someone without a lot of off-road riding experience like Conyers is that it’s mostly just two-lane road. “There’s some dirt and gravel, but nothing crazy.”
However, he said the real exciting part will be the BLM land out West.
Jason’s BMW GS in a little deeper than expected.
“You know, really getting off the beaten path, out to where there’s no lights, no light pollution, and it’s just us out there. Three guys, talking smack and eating and sleeping under the stars.”
As for their on-road plans, Steed said they intend to visit a variety of places, from veterans cemeteries to a speaking engagement at an American Legion nursing home in Minnesota to the location of a large parcel of land that is being turned into a veterans retreat by a family who lost their son to suicide.
As with the first trip, they’ll be carrying the ashes of veterans.
“There’s a really horrible statistic that I want to lay on you that will blow your mind,” Steed told me. “There’s over 3,000 unclaimed veteran remains every year. A lot of these guys – very often Vietnam vets – through whatever happens, when they die, no one is able to locate the next of kin.”
Steed said there is a nonprofit organization in Wilmington called Veterans Memorial Reef that takes ashes and inters them in an artificial reef 5 miles offshore.
“I told them I would pick up whatever I can carry along the ride. So I’m leaving room on my bike for that.”
But as Steed said in 2022, this isn’t a trip about death. It’s a trip about life, so along the way, they’ll make “buddy checks” with as many other veterans as possible, spreading hope, love, and camaraderie.
That’s the most important aspect of the ride, and Steed said even if they don’t end up making a documentary, he just wants to get these two other guys out on road.
When I first connected with Steed in 2022, he was already a couple months into his ride and had stopped in Mexican Hat, a small town in southeastern Utah that was a favorite place of his father-in-law, an important figure in Steed’s life.
When I called him this time around to talk about Ride for Light 2024, he said that just the night before, he had been replaying in his head that conversation we had almost two years ago.
“I was thinking about where I was at. I see constant reminders when I’m in my office, these little mementos from my trip, and I remember exactly where I was.”
Steed said that Conyers has been fortunate in that he’s done a few cross-country trips – but not Knobloch.
“Every veteran needs to see and experience what they fought to preserve,” he said. “I need to get these guys out on the road…and get myself back out there too.”
If you or someone you know is in danger because of suicidal thoughts or actions, call 911 immediately. Suicide is an emergency that requires help by trained medical professionals and should always be treated seriously.
Nationwide suicide hotlines, 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) and 1-800-273-TALK (8255), have counselors available 24/7. Other resources include Suicide.org, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and the American Association of Suicidology. All provide comprehensive information and help on the issue of suicide, from prevention to treatment to coping with loss.
In 2024, French rider Emily Bondi is preparing for her second season in motorcycle racing, making the step up from her national championship—where she won the 600cc Women’s Cup on her debut—to the new FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship. As the start of the new Championship draws nearer, Bondi attended the French GP at Le Mans, where she met a growing fanbase and caught up with fellow French riders Johann Zarco and Fabio Quartararo.
“IT’S AMAZING TO BE ON THE WORLD STAGE” – can Bondi convert previous success in 2024?
Speaking about what it means to participate in the inaugural Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship, Bondi shared the excitement of many: “It is a very important thing for me. It is amazing to be on the world stage since it’s only my second year of racing. To be with those women, the best in the world here on the world stage for the first time, is very important. Also, to be a reference for all the women who want to do some racing and motor racing, is also very significant for me. It’s incredible to get here just in the second year of my adventure.”
Preparation is always vital in motorcycle racing, with Bondi getting ready to take to the track against her rivals at the forthcoming Cremona test despite an injury: “Preparation is a very important thing and to be honest, I already began in January, so it’s been a few months that I know the R7 and have been preparing myself mostly for the entire season—not only the Cremona test. I know this bike; I couldn’t do much more to be honest. I know I will be OK despite the injury. I’m happy to be back on the bike very soon, which is great.”
“I GOT IN FRONT OF A HUGE CROWD!” – a popular figure in France
Speaking from the French Grand Prix at Le Mans, she was able to enjoy the warmth of the record-breaking MotoGP™ audience of over 295,000 across the weekend: “On Friday, I was able to go to the fan zone. I got on stage in front of a huge crowd, which was a first for me! The people’s reaction was amazing, and I now have a lot of support—not only from the women but from the French motorcycling fans community in general.”
“I HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH ZARCO… HE’S COACHING ME” – a special training partner
One of the key topics for Bondi’s preparation has been that she trains with the likes of MotoGP™ Grand Prix winner and double Moto2™ World Champion, Johann Zarco: “Obviously, when I became interested in MotoGP™, I started to follow them because they are the top French riders. I had the chance to meet them both and have formed a good connection with them. I have a great relationship with Johann Zarco as I often ride with him. He’s coaching me, helping me a lot on the mental side of things and then on the bike. It’s very important to me to have the support of a rider like him and to get his advice, as he’s one of the best in the world.”
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Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros. Racing Yamaha Team) is one of the big names in the inaugural FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship, with new opportunities arising to bring more diversity and inclusivity within the sport. This brand-new Championship promises to deliver excitement from the start and we caught up with Carrasco herself about this new chapter.
“IT’LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE AT CREMONA WHO THE BEST RIDERS ARE” – a new era dawns
Giving an overview of the Championship, Carrasco said of the positivity that comes from it: “The Championship is a very positive idea; it’s important that Dorna and the FIM tries to help all female riders. We’re not many and it’s important to get that help. For me, to be in this Championship was also important because for the first time ever, everyone is trying to push the female riders. I’m one of the top female riders around the world so I think it’s good for me to try and be in the Championship in this first year. It’s important that the Championship has the biggest level possible.”
Discussing the line-up, it will be fresh competition with new rivals emerging for the 2018 WorldSSP300 Champion: “The line-up will be interesting; I don’t know almost any of the riders because they come from different countries! It’ll be interesting to see at Cremona who the best riders are. I think it can be a good Championship if we are very fast. It’ll be a good Championship with a lot of fights. I see the Championship as a good platform to try and have some riders with good level and then move onto other classes inside the Champìonship. I think it’s a good idea.”
“IT’S IMPORTANT THAT TOP TEAMS PUSH WorldWCR” – synergy cascades through WorldSBK paddock
The Yamaha R7 will be the bike for all riders, with the Murcian rider talking about the style and also her Evan Bros. team: “It’s a step between 300cc and the 600cc, so it’s a good bike to do the Championship with. Almost every rider is coming from 300 so this is the best option so everyone adapts to the bike as fast as possible. The bike is very good; I’ve tried it at some tests at home and it’s quite big and good fun. The riding style is similar to a 300cc; the power is between a 300cc and the 600cc but the weight is more of a 600cc. You’ll have to be fast in the corners to not lose the speed.
“I’m so happy to be with Evan Bros. because it’s one of the top teams in the paddock; they have a lot of experience in WorldSSP so for me, it’s important to be in a team that I can have room to improve and try and move into WorldSSP. I’m happy to be in the team and I think it’s important that some top teams in the Championship are pushing the WorldWCR a lot because they have a lot of experience and they will help it grow faster.”
“AFTER THE TEST, IT’LL BE EASIER TO SEE WHICH RIDERS ARE ON TOP” – vital test at Cremona awaits
Looking forward to seeing who the main competition will be, the Cremona test will be vital for the 27-year-old: “I only know the Spanish riders; the others, I’ve never been on track with them. After the test, it’ll be easier to see which riders are on top. It’s a new circuit for almost everyone so it’ll be good; we’ll test the bikes there, the team and being on a neutral track will be good to see exactly what the level is. If you ride a lot in one circuit, maybe you’re quick but then, it changes. It’ll be a good place to do it.”
“THE WorldSBK PADDOCK IS LIKE HOME” – Carrasco back to make more history
With so much success before, Carrasco comes back to the paddock in which she’s enjoyed some of the best moments of her career: “I’m really happy because the WorldSBK paddock is like home; I spent the best years of my career here and it was important for me to come back here. I was two years in MotoGP™ and it was good but I was trying to come back here. I feel very good here and for a rider, it’s important to feel like you’re at home to give your best. I’m happy to be here and I hope to stay in the Superbike paddock a lot of time.”
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