WorldWCR 2025 Season Opener: Herrera Triumphs in Thrilling Assen Showdown - Race 1 Report

The 2025 FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship (WorldWCR) roared into its second season at the iconic TT Circuit Assen, delivering a captivating Race 1 that showcased the depth of talent in the all-female grid.

Race 1 Assen results.pdf

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Maria Herrera clinched her seventh victory in the class in a dramatic final-lap battle with Beatriz Neila, while rookies Avalon Lewis and Chloe Jones made impressive debuts.

Herrera vs. Neila: Last Lap Showdown

Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Racing Team) and Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha) engaged in an electrifying duel that defined the race.

Neila, demonstrating remarkable pace, shadowed Herrera throughout and seized the lead on lap 8. The final third of the race saw the two riders exchanging positions, culminating in a high-stakes confrontation at the final chicane.

Neila’s aggressive braking manoeuvre allowed her to cross the line first; however, a track limits violation resulted in a one-position penalty, awarding Herrera the victory. Despite the setback, Neila’s performance solidified her status as a formidable championship contender.

Rookie Results

Newcomers Avalon Lewis and Chloe Jones delivered standout performances.

Lewis secured a commendable fourth-place finish, fighting with Sara Sanchez throughout the race for the final step on the podium - ultimately losing out to Sanchez who finished 9 seconds off of Herrera and Neila.

Jones crossed the line in sixth - an excellent debut and representative of the elevated level of talent that fills the 2025 WCR grid.

All rookie results:

Avalon Lewis - 4th 🇳🇿

Chloe Jones - 6th 🇬🇧

Natalia Rivera - 11th 🇪🇸

Sonya Lloyd - 19th 🇺🇸

Billee Fuller - 20th 🇳🇿

Beatrice Barbera - 21st 🇮🇹

Lucie Boudesseul - DNF 🇫🇷

Midfield Battles and Notable Performances

Tayla Relph led a fiercely contested pack battling for seventh, including riders Isis Carreño, Astrid Madrigal, Emily Bondi and Natalia Rivera. Relph’s strategic riding kept her at the forefront.

Roberta Ponziani, after a challenging start, recovered to finish fifth - she ran a lonely race in the final third, crossing the line 6.107 seconds after Lewis in 4th.

DNF’s

The race was not without incident. Lucy Michel and Lucie Boudessal were involved in separate crashes, leading to their retirements.

Race 2 Grid and Looking Ahead

Beatriz Neila’s fastest lap in Race 1 earned her pole position for Race 2, marking a career first. She will be joined on the front row by Maria Herrera and Sara Sanchez.

Ponziani follows in fourth with rookies Lewis and Jones continuing to impress, securing fifth and sixth positions on the grid, respectively.

Boudesseul (7th), Emily Bondi (8th) Astrid Madrigal (9th) and Tayla Relph (10th) complete the top 10 starting positions for Race 2.

As the championship progresses, the narrowing performance gaps and emerging talents promise an exciting season ahead. Get ready for Race 2 at the Cathedral of Speed tomorrow at 11:50am local time 🇳🇱