On 28 February, in the mountains of Monte Cimone, Italy, the Terra&Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team unveiled its Yamaha R7 challenger for the upcoming FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship season. Reigning WorldWCR Champion Maria Herrera and Natalia Rivera are set to embark on an exciting 2026 campaign, aiming to fight at the front of the field.
Maria Herrera (29) joins the team as one of the most experienced and accomplished riders on the international stage. After competing in Moto3 and spending multiple seasons in MotoE — as the only female rider in the class — she also gained valuable experience within the WorldSBK paddock in WorldSSP300 and WorldSSP, consistently demonstrating competitiveness and adaptability across categories.
In 2024, she emerged as a title contender in the inaugural FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship before securing the 2025 World Championship with an outstanding campaign of six victories and four additional podium finishes. With 12 wins and 19 podiums across just two WorldWCR seasons, Herrera brings proven performance, leadership and a championship-winning mentality to the team.
Natalia Rivera (18) prepares for her second season in WorldWCR following a promising 2025 campaign. The young Spaniard had already made a name for herself in the WorldSBK paddock prior to her World Championship debut, claiming a podium at the 2022 bLU cRU World Cup Superfinale. Two years later, in 2024, she secured the FIM Women’s European Cup title after a dominant season.
In 2025, shortly after turning 18, she made her WorldWCR debut with the Terra&Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team. During her rookie season, she steadily improved at each round, closing the gap to the front-runners and establishing herself as a consistent contender. With a year of experience now behind her, Rivera’s objective is clear: to fight regularly at the front and secure her first WorldWCR podium.
The Terra&Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team is ready to embrace the challenge ahead. The team is also pleased to confirm the return of several key partners, while welcoming new collaborators for the 2026 season, all of whom will play an important role in the squad’s continued growth and success.
Maria Herrera: “We are about to begin a new season, and I am very pleased to start this chapter with the Terra&Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team. They are a highly professional and experienced organisation, and they have established themselves as a reference within the WorldSBK category. I believe we share the same working philosophy and performance objectives, which is fundamental for building a strong and competitive project together. As reigning WorldWCR Champion, our objective is clearly to defend the title. We are aware that the level of the championship continues to increase, so consistency and attention to detail will be crucial throughout the season. Together with the team, we will focus on maximising performance at every round and maintaining a high standard from the start. I am motivated and fully committed to achieving our goals in 2026.”
“I’m really excited to start this new season and to continue working with the team. Last year was an important learning experience for all of us, and we made constant progress throughout the championship. Now it’s time to take the next step. We finished 2025 close to the front group, and the goal this season is to be there consistently and fight for our first podium. I feel more confident, more prepared and more determined than ever. Having Maria as a teammate is a huge opportunity — she’s a benchmark in this championship, and I want to learn everything I can from her. I’m hungry to improve and ready to prove myself.” “Non vedo l’ora di tornare in pista e di iniziare questa nuova stagione insieme al team. Lo scorso anno è stato un periodo molto importante per imparare e crescere, e abbiamo fatto progressi costanti durante tutto il campionato. Ora è il momento di fare il passo successivo. Nel 2025 ci siamo avvicinati molto al gruppo di testa e l’obiettivo di quest’anno è stare lì in modo costante e lottare per il primo podio. Mi sento più sicura, più preparata e più determinata che mai. Avere Maria come compagna di squadra è un’opportunità enorme: è un punto di riferimento per tutti noi e voglio imparare il più possibile da lei. Ho tanta voglia di migliorare e di dimostrare il mio valore.”
Ayrton Badovini (Team Manager): “It promises to be an exciting season, and our expectations are naturally high. Maria needs no introduction — she is not only the reigning WorldWCR Champion, but also one of the most experienced and accomplished riders on the international stage. Our objective is clear: to defend the crown, and we will work tirelessly to achieve that goal. At the same time, we are delighted to continue our journey with Natalia. She demonstrated significant progress throughout her first WorldWCR season, improving at every round. With greater mutual understanding and another year of experience, we are confident we can consistently fight within the leading group. The aim is to grow together and maintain competitiveness at every round. We are all looking forward to getting back on track — and with Round 1 less than a month away, the countdown has already begun.”
