{"id":6153,"date":"2026-03-27T18:52:49","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T17:52:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.grtracingteam.com\/?p=6153"},"modified":"2026-03-27T19:01:47","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T18:01:47","slug":"worldwcr-2026-r1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.grtracingteam.com\/en\/worldwcr-2026-r1\/","title":{"rendered":"Herrera Secures Pole Position for Terra&Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team at Portim\u00e3o Season Opener"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Terra&Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team made a strong start to the 2026 FIM Women\u2019s Circuit Racing World Championship season, with reigning World Champion Maria Herrera storming to pole position at the Aut\u00f3dromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friday\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maria Herrera: P1 (1:52.572)
<\/strong>\u201cIt\u2019s been the best possible way to start the season and defend the title. Superpole wasn\u2019t 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\u2019ve shown strong pace, but the key will be converting that into results. It\u2019s going to be a close fight, and we\u2019re ready for the challenge.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Natalia Rivera: P10 (1:54.727)
<\/strong>\u201cOverall, it was a decent Superpole session, and I was able to set a competitive lap time for a top-10 start. We know there\u2019s still room for improvement, but we\u2019re not far from the front, which is encouraging. We have good potential, and I\u2019m confident we can turn that into solid race performances.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n