A fifth-place finish in Race 1 was enough for Maria Herrera to secure her second consecutive FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship title, as Natalia Rivera narrowly missed out on a maiden WorldWCR podium.
Maria Herrera and the Terra&Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team were crowned 2026 FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Champions following Race 1 at Jerez, with the Spanish rider securing her second consecutive WorldWCR title.
Starting from second on the grid, Herrera made a strong start and managed her pace throughout the 11-lap race. Fighting for third place until the chequered flag, she remained focused and in control, ultimately crossing the line in fifth position. It was enough to seal the championship crown and confirm another outstanding achievement for Herrera and the team.
It was also a strong performance from Natalia Rivera, who delivered the best result of her WorldWCR career to date. Starting from fourth on the grid, the 19-year-old fought fiercely for a podium finish throughout the race. After 11 intense laps, Rivera crossed the line in fourth place, narrowly missing out on the podium by less than a tenth of a second. Having recorded the fifth-fastest lap of the race, she will start Race 2 from fifth on the grid.
Both riders will return to action tomorrow for the final race of the season, with Race 2 scheduled to get underway at 12:00 local time.
Maria Herrera: P5 – 2026 WorldWCR Champion
“What a day, what a feeling! It was an incredibly intense race, with so many emotions throughout those 11 laps. It wasn’t easy to manage everything going on around me, but I stayed focused and tried to keep myself in a safe position without making any mistakes. In the end, we did it, and that’s what matters most! Back-to-back WorldWCR Champion — what an incredible feeling. It’s something I’ll remember forever. Of course, I want to thank everyone who has supported me, my family, and the team for such a fantastic season. It feels amazing to reward everyone’s hard work and commitment, and I couldn’t have imagined a better way to win the championship. We still have one more race to go, so the season isn’t over yet. We’ll certainly enjoy the celebrations, but then we’ll refocus and be ready to fight again tomorrow, aiming to finish the season in the best possible way!”
Natalia Rivera: P4
“First of all, congratulations to Maria and the entire team on securing the WorldWCR title! As for my race, we missed out on a fantastic result by just a few thousandths of a second. I can’t be disappointed with the work we’ve done or the race we put together. We were finally able to fight for the podium all the way to the chequered flag, and I gave absolutely everything to make it happen. Today, we had a great opportunity! It’s a shame we missed out by such a tiny margin, but it also gives us extra motivation for tomorrow’s Race 2, the final race of the season. We’ll all be pushing together for that podium, hopefully with clear weather conditions. We’re already looking forward to getting back on track tomorrow!”
