Sun, blue skies and warm temperatures – a perfect scenario for a historic race weekend. The first race weekend of the new Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship – WorldWCR for short – took place as part of the Superbike World Championship in Misano. But what was supposed to be a milestone for women in motorcycle racing turned out to be a rather bumpy start.
Two aborted races, crashes and doubts
After the serious crash of Norwegian Mia Rusthen on the sixth lap of the first race on Saturday, the race was stopped immediately. In the meantime, the first updates on the Norwegian’s state of health are also known. She has been placed in an induced coma so that her body can recover from a concussion, according to reports.
As the schedule on Saturday was tight, the re-start had to be postponed until the afternoon. Even after the re-start, there was another accident, which resulted in the race being abandoned again. A third attempt to complete the first race of the WorldWCR was successful. As expected, Maria Herrera and Ana Carrasco as well as Sara Sanchez and Beatrize Neila pulled away from the chasing pack right at the start of the first race. In the end, Herrera and Carrasco decided the victory between themselves. Maria Herrera won with a lead of 0.067 seconds (Carrasco was second and Sanchez third).
On Sunday, the second race went off without any major crashes, but with a similar picture of the leading group. Once again, the podium was decided between Maria Herrera and Ana Carrasco, Sara Sanchez and Beatrize Neila. The four of them outclassed their pursuers and pulled well ahead. Curious crashes, race interruptions and the wide gap between the leading group inevitably raised questions. Are the participants sufficiently qualified and at a similar level? Is the Yamaha R7 as a standard motorcycle the right choice for the WorldWCR?
Is the WorldWCR the right way to go?
The WorldWCR took place as part of the SBK and is the cheapest world championship thanks to its standardized bikes and an entry fee of €25,000. An enticing world championship that is not to be sneezed at with a starting field of 26 riders from 17 countries. So far so good, right?
Let’s take the statement from FIM President Jorge Viegas: “The Women’s Motorcycle World Championship is not a starting point for participants who would rather race against men in another championship, this is the top event for the ladies”. Sounds a bit like the end of the line, doesn’t it? Doesn’t this statement highlight a fundamental problem. Instead of integrating women into the existing championships and offering them equal opportunities there, they are put into a separate world championship.
Motorcycle racing has the unique characteristic of making gender almost irrelevant. Whether tall, short, heavy or light – in motorsport, physical attributes can be balanced out by technical ability and talent. In a world where equality is often still a distant goal, motorcycle racing provides a platform that gives women and men equal opportunities.
The idea that women in motorsport are fundamentally disadvantaged compared to male riders is absurd. Ana Carrasco impressively demonstrated that women can successfully hold their own against men. With her title win in the Supersport 300, Carrasco proved that women can hold their own against men if they receive the necessary support and encouragement. The point of physical inferiority can also be quickly dispelled with the example of Dani Pedrosa. With a height of 1.58 m and a weight of 51 kg, Pedrosa was obviously inferior to his rivals. Despite this, he fought for the MotoGP world championship.
Talent and promotion instead of labeling
Financial support, early promotion and the creation of a level playing field could pave the way for talented young female athletes to reach the world championships. Targeted support programs and training camps for girls could create a new generation of young female riders. Parents play a major role with young riders, perhaps they find it more difficult to get their daughters on motorcycles – a lot could have been achieved here with more support.
Unfortunately, the start of the WorldWCR and especially the first race did nothing to dispel prejudices. If anything, the bumpy start reinforced them. No one can be successful in the motorcycle world championship through talent, passion and willpower alone. No matter whether you are a man or a woman. Good equipment, a good team and the right financial resources are also important. The bumpy start to the Women’s Motorcycle World Championship shows that there is still a lot to do. Only time will tell whether the separate world championship will bring the desired success in establishing more women in motorcycle racing.
Your Miss MotoGP