María Herrera, two-time women’s champion, has a dream: “Let me race in MotoGP”

María Herrera won the second Women’s World Championship in Jerez. When the International Motorcycling Federation launched the series in 2024, it hoped to secure a place in the media and on TV, reaffirming the motorcycle world’s commitment to breaking down gender barriers.

Instead, the third season ended with the media spotlight switched off. So much so that the two-time champion came up with an unusual idea: "Letting me compete in a little MotoGP race would be the right way to give our championship visibility", she told fellow journalist Alba Caseres of Motosan. Perhaps the idea might catch Liberty Media’s attention—the American promoter is looking to make the premier class as spectacular as possible.

Maria Herrera stressed how difficult it is for a female rider to find the resources needed to move up to more prestigious categories. She also hopes the CFMoto switch will prove successful in the Women’s World Championship, with the manufacturer replacing Yamaha as the series’ sole bike supplier next year. More power and more excitement: that’s what the Spaniard is hoping for.

Then, discussing the season finale, Maria Herrera revealed that she had been dealing with an injury she had never disclosed. . After finishing fifth in Race 1 at Jerez—a result that mathematically secured her the title—the Spaniard revealed that she had broken two fingers and dislocated her left shoulder midway through the season. She will undergo surgery in a week.

As we reported in Maria Herrera crowned WCR queen for the second time, the unstoppable rider wins Race 1 at Jerez, Paola Ramos won the race ahead of Beatriz Neila. The same rider took victory in the second and final race, while the champion finished fourth.

Herrera arrived in Andalusia with the title still up for grabs, after a British round that, in her view, should have settled the championship: "I didn’t think I’d be this nervous, but in the end, I think what happened in England was a bit strange. I think we should have wrapped it up there".

The plan for Saturday was clear: no unnecessary risks. "I think it’s supposed to rain tomorrow, so I knew I couldn’t go crazy. I also knew Paola had a great pace—she’d put in some incredible practice sessions, and I wanted to stay with her. So I just had to keep calm and finish behind her".

The real obstacle, however, was physical. After three months off, the Spaniard had to figure out how to arrive in Jerez without aggravating her left shoulder: "Obviously, I broke two fingers and dislocated my shoulder midway through the season, but nobody knows that. I have surgery in a week, and this race was a bit horrible for me because, in the end, my left shoulder is a little numb".

She raced the season without holding back, as she explained herself: she wanted to win every race and was willing to take the necessary risks. That’s precisely why the final round was the toughest: "Getting to Jerez was the hardest part, after three months off and trying to figure out how not to injure my shoulder any further and still arrive at Jerez in good shape".

But before she can think about 2027, there’s the operating room: the two-time champion will need to have the shoulder repaired—the one she kept quiet about for half the season.

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