Beatriz brings the speed once again for 2026 WCR silver medal
The 2026 FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship – showcasing the fastest females on two wheels and a six-round series that runs at WorldSBK events – was again a platform for 24-year-old Spanish star Beatriz Neila to shred rubber and stamp her claim to fame.
The Spaniard confirmed 2nd place in the standings for the second year in a row, behind two-time #1 Maria Herrera, for what was only the third running of the burgeoning competition. WorldWCR has been getting faster, closer and more intense with rider participation from almost 15 different countries. It involves spec 700c Yamaha R7 machinery, but this technical base is due to change from 2027 thanks to a new association with Chinese brand CFMOTO and their agile SR midweight sports bike.
The 2026 campaign travelled to the Algarve International Circuit (Portugal), TT Circuit Assen (Netherlands), Balaton Park (Hungary), Misano World Circuit (San Marino), Donington Park (UK) and Circuit de Jerez (Spain) with two races each weekend.
Neila, hailing from Madrid, was part of an Iberian ‘three-way’ from the very first lap of the year. Herrera was the target and Paola Ramos was a regular presence in the tussle for podium real estate. Bea pushed and probed and tried to scrape fairings with Maria all the way through. She opened the season with two 3rd positions around the looping and undulating curves of the AIC in Portimão as she acclimatized to the latest R7 spec.
Three weeks later, through the flat-out kinks of Assen, Neila rose to the second step of the box in race one and grabbed the checkered flag in the second. She didn’t finish lower than P2 for the rest of the term; all the while keeping pressure on Herrera. The duel got feisty. At Donington Park contact between the countrywomen put Neila on the deck at high speed and forced the only ‘0’ of her 2026 scorecard. Herrera was penalized in the second race to keep the contest open as Neila retaliated and bagged her second win of the year as the ‘to-and-fro’ of the championship persisted.
The spat stretched all the way to the finale in southern Spain. Bea went close to victory on Saturday before a technical problem forced her to slow and take P2 once more.
“Do you know that feeling when you’re leading the race with just two laps to go, and suddenly your bike hits 100+ degrees, loses power, and makes you lose the lead?” she posted on her Instagram account. “Well, let me tell you… it’s an ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE feeling. The positive side is that I’ve had SO much fun, it hasn’t taken the smile off my face.”
Herrera’s 11 points in the same outing was enough to close the book on the title race but Beatriz stamped her own end to a fiercely competitive championship with a chase to the line on Sunday to record yet another P2 for the Ampito Crescent Yamaha team.
“It’s been a suuuper positive weekend and a great way to end the season, finishing on the podium just like true champions dooo, fighting until the very end!” she wrote.
Two years, two runner-up slots and another step towards top billing. Who will stop the Neila in 2027?
One contender could be Britain’s Chloe Jones. The 23-year-old battled her way to the box at Jerez for a second ‘champagne shower’ of 2026 and P5 in the championship. Jones progressed as quickly as her throttle hand allowed: she began the season by barely registering points but by round four in San Marino was eying bigger prizes. 3rd place in the Spanish sun was vindication that more glory lies ahead.
