Although MotoGP does not yet have women among its regular riders, several talented female riders have graced the MotoGP circuits in the past and continue to fight for a place on the grid. Remember that you can bet on all the Moto World Championship races at the main Italian betting sites.
Pioneer and icons
The panorama of female drivers has seen some pioneers, especially in the last century, when motor sports were not almost exclusively the prerogative of men. Then there were some heroines, who were capable of setting records and absolute primates. Let’s start with the most important pioneers.
Taru Rinne (Finland)
A former 125cc class rider, Taru Rinne stood out for her tenacity and courage during her seasons in the MotoGP world championship. His career has inspired and motivated young female riders who dream of competing at a high level. He brought home 25 points in total in his career, which still represents an unmatched record today.
Daniela Tognoli (Italy)
Pioneer of Italian women’s motorcycling, Daniela Tognoli competed in the MotoGP in the 1993 and 1994 editions, both times in the 125cc class. She didn’t achieve exciting results, in a predominantly male context, but she is one of the first Italian women in the MotoGP.
Ana Carrasco (Spain)
Ana Carrasco represents a legendary heroine for women’s motorcycling, who has 3 consecutive MotoGP seasons under her belt, in the Moto3 category, between 2015 and 2018, with another 2 seasons in 2022 and 2023. This is the largest number of appearances in the MotoGP, even though she only managed to bring home 9 points in her first year. Unfortunately, you are currently out of action due to a broken tibia and fibula which occurred in the 2023 Indonesian GP.
María Herrera (Spain)
The other Spanish icon is Maria Herrera, who managed to make appearances in 5 consecutive MotoGPs, between 2013 and 2017, also returning in 2022. Between 2015 and 2017, however, she was a starting rider in Moto3, taking home 17 points. She is currently the regular rider for Ducati in MotoE.
New promises and challenges
In addition to these icons, several young emerging female riders are making themselves noticed on the international motorcycling scene, ready to give their contribution to changing the face of MotoGP. Among these, the following stand out:
Elena Rosell (Spain): In 2012, Elena Rosell made history by becoming the first woman to contest an entire world championship in Moto2. Her determination and talent have paved the way for other riders who dream of competing in the premier class. Unfortunately, she didn’t take home a single point.
Katja Poensgen (Germany): The German also took part in 2 250cc championships, although not consecutive, in 2001 and 2003, with Aprilia and Honda. Unfortunately, she only managed to take home 2 points in the 2001 MotoGP.
A future full of potential
This year, no women are present in the ranks of the official MotoGP riders, neither in Moto3, nor in Moto2, let alone in MotoGP.
The one most credited with the climb is certainly Ana Carrasco, who unfortunately is stuck in the pits today due to a long-term injury, otherwise she would certainly have been at least in Moto3. However, we can wait for young stars who are in the academies of the various teams. The generation of future stars, in fact, is much more heterogeneous than we think.
The fundamental role of federations, teams, sponsors and media
The role of the teams, in fact, is really important from this point of view, it is they who must focus on female drivers. However, they can help sponsors, who in today’s world are increasingly oriented towards an egalitarian world.
The media will have to be good at treating all drivers equally, regardless of their sex, and motorsport federations must increasingly develop a supply chain, knowing full well that a larger catchment area can generate better drivers.
A message of hope and inspiration
We hope that in the future the MotoGP, and MotoGP in particular, will be able to welcome more and more female riders. These girls deserve a major opportunity to let their talent shine.
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