Cremona Circuit’s Acerbis Italian Round saw a very strong weekend for Italian rider Roberta Ponziani (Klint Forward Racing Team), winning her first FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship race in Race 1 and taking P2 in Race 2. With her Race 2 podium, she has now -just two rounds into the season- already eclipsed her 2024 campaign which saw her earn fifth place in the Riders’ Championship with a sole P2 finish; also coincidentally earned at Cremona in Race 2.

The WorldWCR season opener at Assen last round saw Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Racing Team) and Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha) win a race each and enjoy the lion’s share of the Assen fanfare, however it was Ponziani at Cremona who announced herself to the WorldWCR paddock with her Race 1 win to the delight of the home fans. Patiently lying in wait in P2, she made her move on Herrera who had led the prior 11 laps of the 12-lap race; grabbing P1 in the final sector of the final lap and crossed the finish line just 0.150s ahead of Herrera.

“P2 was still a good result but I struggled a bit while turning” -Ponziani proud of Cremona weekend but feels she can achieve even more

Saturday’s Race 1 saw Ponziani’s late heroics to claim her first race win, and while she wasn’t quite able to close the gap ahead of her to battle with Herrera for the race win, she again displayed her eye for opportunity, slipping by Neila as Herrera opened a gap on the inside as Herrera reclaimed P1 fin the final lap to pip Neila for P2 in Race 2. In a sport of such fine margins, Ponziani’s ability to seize moments like these can spell the difference in the Championship conversation later in the year when every point will matter.

“It was a really really hard day, Saturday I had a good start, but today not so much. P2 was still a good result but I struggled a bit while turning. I had the fastest lap somehow, it’s crazy.” laughed Ponziani “I made a mistake on the last lap, on the last corner before the straight; I wanted to take the slipstream but I opened the throttle too early and my rear tyre slipped a little bit. I was able to get the P2 result because they touched a bit and it opened it up for me on the inside.”

“Last year in Donington I was fast, and I think this season we can go just as fast again.” – Ponziani looks ahead to next time out at Donington Park

Ponziani’s trip to the UK last season was a solid outing for the #96, she got off to a good start in Race 1, recording a P5, one of her four fifth place finishes of the twelve-race season. Race 2 put a damper on Ponziani’s weekend, as after her and Ornella Ongaro (Ornella Ongaro Racing Team) made contact, the pair crashed out of the race while the contact was deemed a racing incident by WorldSBK FIM Stewards. It was the only crash of the season from the consistent rider, and this time out, if she can return to top the podium, it could have very interesting implications on the Championship picture.

On the close to her home round at Cremona and setting her sights on the upcoming Prosecco DOC UK Round at Donington Park, “It’s been a great weekend for me, for the team, I think first place in Race 2 would have made it perfect but second place for the Championship points makes me really happy. Last year in Donington I was fast, and I think this season we can go just as fast again.”

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