Times rapidly fell at the Cremona Circuit on Day 2 of the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship as weather conditions improved and the 23-strong field got more mileage under their belt. Friday morning’s action was topped by Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) after she set the first 1’42s lap of the Italian venue in the fourth session of the day, with most riders finding a huge chunk of time as the day progressed.

With the sun shining in Cremona after yesterday’s rain, riders were finding plenty more time as they continued to adapt to the circuit, bike, and tyres. The majority were able to improve their team in the latter stages of the morning with more experience of the Yamaha R7 and Pirelli tyres under their belt, with the fastest time in the morning on Friday around three seconds quicker than Thursday’s fastest time.

Ponziani's best time was a 1’42.438s, which the Italian set in the middle of the final 20-minute session of the morning action. She was the first rider throughout the test to set a time in the 1’42s bracket, finishing around six tenths clear of Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) in second. Like Ponziani, Carrasco found time as the morning progressed, with her best time a 1’43.044s. Third place belonged to Czech rider Adela Ourednickova (DafitMotoracing) after she set a 1’43.374s, around three tenths behind the 2018 WorldSSP300 Champion.

German teenager Lucy Michel (TSL-Racing) put in a late lap in the fourth session to haul herself up to P4 overall, setting a 1’43.446s and demoting Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) into fifth with just two hundredths of a second separating the pair. Beatriz Nelia (Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha) completed the top six with a 1’43.847s, and she found her place in the top six under threat from Australia’s Tayla Relph (TAYCO Motorsport) with just 0.002s separating the pair.

Relph had to settle for seventh and she was around half a tenth clear of Jessica Howden (Team Trasimeno) in eighth. Her time, a 1’43.902s, was two tenths quicker than Pakita Ruiz (PS Racing Team 46+1) in ninth, with the Spaniard closing the morning with a 1’44.147s. However, her session was disrupted by a crash although she was okay and returned to the pitlane. Isis Carreno (AD78 FIM Latinoamerica by Team GP3) rounded out the top ten with a 1’44.494s.

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