Michael Hill on the Growing Landscape of the WorldSBK Paddock
- alicejukes
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
The world of motorcycle racing has long been defined by adrenaline, aggression, and a near mythic sense of speed - but for all its spectacle, it’s also been a world that has traditionally made little room for women. That landscape, however, is beginning to change. Few people are more attuned to that shift than Michael Hill.
A constant presence in the World Superbike paddock as the host of the Paddock Show, a rider manager, and an experienced journalist, Hill has spent more upwards of 15 years working at the sport’s highest levels. Through that lens, he’s watched the evolution of women’s place in the racing world - and today, he speaks about it not only with insight, but with a genuine sense of hope.
A Growing Demographic of Spectators in WorldSBK
As host of the Paddock Show, Hill has observed a clear evolution in the World Superbike spectator base. He notes a “big shift” particularly with the growing number of families attending races. “The audience is still predominantly male, but you can definitely see more of a female presence.”
That growing female fanbase is partly attributed to the championship’s newest category — the WorldWCR — the first-ever all-female circuit racing world championship. “You can definitely see it’s sparked a reaction around the world […] it’s given women worldwide the platform to be seen,” says Hill.
The WorldWCR
While the launch of WorldWCR prompted some backlash online, Hill is quick to dismiss the negativity: “There were a percentage of people that were very dismissive, very rude […] quite uneducated comments that I would see on my social media platforms. I just wouldn’t give those people the time of day.” Instead, he highlights the overwhelmingly positive response within the paddock, where teams, riders, and fans embraced the new series from the outset.
Crucially, Hill emphasises that WorldWCR is not about comparing male and female athletes. “That’s not the conversation,” he insists. “What WorldWCR has done is it’s given females that were already racing at whatever level a platform to be seen.” As part of his role on the Paddock Show, he regularly interviews riders and shares their stories, treating the series with the same respect as any other championship. “It’s another world championship,” he says. “We treat these athletes the same, and we tell their stories the same.”
One of the most powerful outcomes, Hill believes, has been the exposure given to riders who might otherwise have remained unnoticed. “It suddenly uncovered that there were hundreds of female athletes around the world,” he says. “We had athletes from Taiwan — I didn’t even realise there was a mainstream series in Taiwan.”
He also notes the increasing number of young female fans now engaging with the championship. “When we hold meet-and-greets or interactive stage events with the riders, you see so many young girls looking at them as role models — and not just the Ana Carrascos and Maria Herreras, but all of the athletes,” he says. With 18 nationalities represented on the grid last season, WorldWCR has already made history — and, Hill believes, its influence is only beginning to grow.
Women Working in WorldSBK
While WorldWCR has placed a spotlight on women competing on track, Hill is keen to highlight that women have long held influential roles behind the scenes in the WorldSBK paddock.
“I’ve worked in Superbike for 15, 16 years, even before Dorna got involved, and I always remember a strong female presence,” he recalls. Whether in the media centre, TV production, or organisational roles, women have consistently been part of the championship’s inner workings. “For me, it was never unusual to be reporting to a woman — it was normal, and I was never made to feel it shouldn’t be.”
That normalcy still exists today. Hill points to a number of key figures in the paddock, including Sylvia Sanchez, Eva Blanquez, Camilla Canclini and Sol Alvarez, to name a few. “These ladies, these colleagues and friends — they’ve been here for over a decade in various roles,” he says. “Whether it seems like there are more women now because of the spotlight, I don’t know. But they’ve been doing the work all along.”
What stands out in the Superbike paddock, Hill says, is the meritocratic nature of the environment. “There doesn’t seem to be a separation — if you’re good at the job, you do the job,” he explains. This ethos extends to all areas of the paddock, reinforcing the idea that visibility and opportunity should be based on capability, not gender. “It’s not about taking places away from male athletes or staff and giving them to females just because they’re female. That’s not the conversation.”
Ana Carrasco: A Trailblazer in WorldSBK
Among the many women making waves in WorldSBK, Ana Carrasco stands out as a genuine trailblazer. After becoming the first woman to win a motorcycle world championship in mixed competition with her 2018 WorldSSP300 title — and more recently becoming the inaugural winner of the WorldWCR season — Carrasco’s name is already written into the sport’s history books. But according to Hill, it’s not just her titles that make her remarkable.
“I’ve known Ana quite well since she first came into the championship,” he shares. “What’s really struck me is that she hasn’t changed.” Unlike riders who might treat media or fan interaction as an obligation, Carrasco has always made a point of understanding and engaging with the paddock beyond just racing. “She came to the Paddock Show early on just to figure out what it was, how it worked, what she needed to do — and she didn’t have to”.
Few riders have shown that same proactive approach. “Only Nicky Hayden and Randy Krummenacher did that,” he says. “Ana was just very forthcoming, super polite, and down to earth.”
Hill sees in her the same drive that defines the best. “She’s every bit as committed as Jonathan [Rea], Toprak [Razgatlioglu], or Alvaro [Bautista]. But what sets her apart is her willingness to do more, to ask how she can contribute beyond the bike.”
Her authenticity has made her a fan favourite. “I’ve had water fights with Ana on stage,” Hill laughs. “She came back once with a whole bucket and threw it over me in Portimão.” Carrasco proves that professionalism and personality aren’t mutually exclusive — and her presence is helping reshape what visibility in motorsport looks like.
As Michael Hill looks across the evolving WorldSBK paddock, one thing is clear: change is happening — but there’s still work to do. From the growing number of female fans to the increasing visibility of women on stage and behind the scenes, the sport is slowly becoming more inclusive. And with people like Hill not only speaking up but actively driving that progress, motorsport is beginning to feel more open, more accessible, and more reflective of the world around it.
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