The Terra&Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team returned to action today for the first race day at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, where Natalia Rivera delivered her best performance of her rookie season by claiming sixth place in Race 1.

The day began with the final Warm Up session, where Sara Sánchez and Natalia Rivera put in valuable laps to prepare for the race. The Spanish duo finished fifth and seventh respectively, setting themselves up with confidence ahead of the opening contest.

When the lights went out, both Sánchez and Rivera had strong starts, immediately joining the leading group in the early stages. Rivera kept her momentum, staying with the front runners throughout the first half of the race and setting competitive lap times. After 12 intense laps, the 18-year-old crossed the finish line in sixth place – her best result of the season so far. She also posted the sixth-fastest lap, which means she will start from P6 in tomorrow’s Race 2.

Sánchez’s promising race, however, came to an early end after a crash while battling for the podium positions. She was taken to the medical center where she was diagnosed with a left-hand metacarpal fracture and was declared unfit for the remainder of the weekend. She will now return to Barcelona to begin her recovery process.

Natalia Rivera – P6
“My best race of the year so far – and not just because of the result, which is great – but because I was able to stay with the leading group and enjoy several laps fighting with them. This shows we are making real progress, and I’m confident we can get even closer soon and take that final step. Now the target is to stay with the front riders again tomorrow and keep improving. I also want to send my best wishes to Sara for a speedy recovery – it’s such a shame she got injured today, and I hope to see her back on track as soon as possible.”