Maria Herrera delivered another great performance in Race 2 at Balaton on Sunday, securing a further podium finish and extending her Championship lead at the end of Round 3. It was also a solid race from Natalia Rivera, who crossed the line in eighth place.

Following Warm Up 2 in the morning, where Rivera finished seventh, both Terra&Vita GRT Yamaha riders approached Race 2 with high confidence.

Starting from fourth on the grid, Herrera made a strong launch and quickly took the lead in the early stages. Over the course of the 11-lap race, she once again demonstrated impressive pace, battling for victory until the closing laps. Unfortunately, with two laps remaining, she became involved in contact with another rider, losing valuable time. Despite this setback, she managed to rejoin the leading duo and ultimately finished third, just 0.2 seconds from the win.

Rivera also delivered a determined performance. The young Spaniard had a difficult start, dropping from seventh to thirteenth on the opening lap. However, the 19-year-old showed excellent speed and racecraft, steadily making her way through the field with several strong overtakes to secure an impressive comeback to eighth place at the chequered flag.

With this result, Herrera extends her Championship lead to fourteen points at the end of Round 3. Both riders will return to action in one month’s time for Round 4 at the Misano World Circuit.

Maria Herrera – P3
“Sunday races are always more challenging to manage, and this was a particularly close contest, which is great for the fans and the Championship. Overall, I’m satisfied with the weekend. Of course, we wanted to win again, but looking at the bigger picture, we’ve extended our lead after this round. Unfortunately, a battle with another rider cost me some valuable time, and although I managed to close the gap to the leaders, it was too late. Still, considering my shoulder condition, we can be proud of what we achieved this weekend. Now we’ll take some time to rest and come back fully fit for the next round.”

Natalia Rivera – P8
“It’s a shame about the start. It was difficult to manage in such tight conditions, and I lost several positions early on. Fighting my way back through the field wasn’t easy, but I’m pleased with the pace I showed and the comeback I managed. At the same time, I feel a bit disappointed because we could have achieved a better result. That’s something we’ll work on for the next round. I’m already looking forward to racing again, but we’ll also use this break to prepare even better for the next race weekend.”