The Terra&Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team made a strong start to the 2026 FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship season, with reigning World Champion Maria Herrera storming to pole position at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal.

Friday’s action began with Free Practice 1 at 09:00 local time, where Herrera immediately demonstrated competitive pace. Setting fast laps on used tyres, the Spanish rider secured second place on the timesheets with a 1:53.838 in the 25-minute session. Teammate Natalia Rivera also delivered a solid performance, finishing eighth with a best time of 1:55.270.

In hotter conditions during the Superpole qualifying session, Herrera continued to build momentum. After setting the early benchmark, the 29-year-old improved further to post a decisive 1:52.572 lap, securing pole position and a front-row start for Race 1.

Rivera showed consistent progress throughout the 25-minute session, ultimately qualifying in tenth position with a 1:54.727. Just a few tenths away from a second-row start, her performance highlights strong potential heading into the race, particularly after demonstrating encouraging long-run pace.

Both riders will return to the track on Saturday morning for Warm-Up 2, ahead of Race 1, which is scheduled to start at 12:00 local time, marking the official beginning of the 2026 WorldWCR season.

Maria Herrera: P1 (1:52.572)
“It’s been the best possible way to start the season and defend the title. Superpole wasn’t easy with so many riders on track, but I managed to find space and put together a strong lap to secure pole position. We now need to stay focused for both races. We’ve shown strong pace, but the key will be converting that into results. It’s going to be a close fight, and we’re ready for the challenge.”

Natalia Rivera: P10 (1:54.727)
“Overall, it was a decent Superpole session, and I was able to set a competitive lap time for a top-10 start. We know there’s still room for improvement, but we’re not far from the front, which is encouraging. We have good potential, and I’m confident we can turn that into solid race performances.”