Herrera wins the battle of wills in WorldWCR Race 1 at Balaton
WorldWCR: Race 1 Highlights:
With the bit firmly between her teeth, Maria Herrera went all out to bag maximum points in the first of the weekend’s WorldWCR races at Balaton and did just that, the Klint Forward Racing rider crossing the line more than a second ahead of her closest rival to take her fourth win of the season.
A three-position grid penalty for Chloe Jones only added to the GR Motosport rider’s motivation. Oscillating between first and fourth over the course of this 11-lap race, the tenacious Brit was able to execute a last-lap, last-gasp pass to secure second place – her best WorldWCR race result to date.
With much to play for, title contender Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha) was on form today, even leading the race at times, but ultimately paid for a small mistake through the last chicane. Third across the line, the Spaniard nevertheless limited the damage by banking another 16 solid championship points.
After topping the timesheets in morning warm-up, Roberta Ponziani (Klint Forward Racing Team) lost ground off the line but was able to recover well and finish fourth. The Italian also set the fastest time of the race (1’53.338), meaning that she will start Sunday’s Race 2 from pole.
Sara Sanchez (Terra&Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team) gradually closed in on the leading group as the race went on. Climbing as high as second and in the mix for the podium until the final stages, the Spaniard eventually crossed the line fifth.
Fourth on the grid, Pakita Ruiz (PR46+1 Racing Team) ran one of her strongest races of the season, fighting hard as part of the chasing group and holding sixth to the line.
Team Trasimeno’s Jessica Howden made a spirited start, fifth through the opening stages. Consistent from start to finish, the South African will be pleased to have matched her best result of the season, seventh across the line.
Regular points finishers Avalon Lewis (Carl Cox Motorsports) and Lucie Boudesseul (GMT94-YAMAHA) will be looking for more in Race 2 after placing eighth and ninth in this first race.
Competing for the Pons Italika Racing FIMLA team, Astrid Madrigal scored another handful of points by snatching tenth, just ahead of teammate Sara Varon, the one-event rider doing well to finish eleventh.
Ornella Ongaro suffered a crash on lap one, with doctors at the medical centre diagnosing a fracture of the right humerus. The French rider has unfortunately been declared unfit to continue and will be transported to Veszprem Hospital for further assessment. Australian Tayla Relph (Full Throttle Racing) was also unable to complete Race 1 after crashing in the final stages, though fortunately without physical consequences.
Championship Standings:
- With 156 points now in the bag, Herrera extends her lead
- Neila remains very much in the hunt, with a tally of 138
- In their own battle for third, Sanchez and Ponziani now have 100 and 99 points respectively
- Jones rounds out the top five with 73 points
Key Points:
- Pole position: Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha) – 1’53.526
- Race 1 winner: Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Racing Team)
- Race fastest lap: Roberta Ponziani (Klint Forward Racing Team) – 1’53.338
P1 | Maria Herrera | Klint Forward Racing Team
“For sure I’m very happy to win today’s race. I battled hard with the group and there was a lot of overtaking through the first part of the track. It’s a new circuit for me and I feel I don’t know some of the corners well enough yet, but I was able to manage the situation and build a small gap towards the end. I’m happy with the current championship situation, but I need to continue pushing until the end. I’m enjoying myself right now honestly, though there are still details of the bike I want to better understand to improve further. I expect a similar race tomorrow, but it also looks like it might rain, so we need to manage the situation.”
P2 | Chloe Jones | GR Motosport
“It was a really good race, a lot of back and forward with a lot of riders, which is really good experience for me. I’m learning a lot from these riders, they’re incredibly fast and so to have races like this allows me to learn so much; I’m very grateful for that. Finishing second feels unbelievable – I thought I couldn’t top the podium at Donington, but this round has been very good so far. Qualifying was a bit tough, but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, as they say! This result gives me confidence for tomorrow; I’m looking forward to Race 2 and think I have the pace to run at the front. I also want to say a big thank you to GR Motosport for giving me the opportunity to compete here this season.”
P3 | Beatriz Neila | Ampito Crescent Yamaha
“Today’s race was a little difficult, but I think I did a good job overall and was able to take P3 so I’m happy with that, particularly after all our hard work yesterday. I made a mistake through the last chicane which unfortunately meant I missed out on second but that’s ok, third is still a good result for the championship. I’m still in the mix for the title and will go all out tomorrow to close in on Maria. I’m starting from fourth on the grid in Race 2 but will do my best as always.”
Race 1 Results
1. Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Racing Team)
2. Chloe Jones (GR Motosport) +1.395s
3. Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha) +1.536s
4. Roberta Ponziani (Klint Forward Racing Team) +3.575s
5. Sara Sanchez (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team) +4.275s
6. Pakita Ruiz (PR46+1 Racing Team) +6.820s
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