Last Update: 15 April 2023
Young Spanish rider Maria Herrera Motorcycle Racer (SPA-KTM) made history on 26 May winning the second Moto3 round of the 2013 Spanish Championship CEV Repsol Class at Motorland Aragon. She dominated the race and achieved her first win on the CEV Repsol podium and further being the first female rider to place first in the three year history of the Moto3.
The young Toledo native already made a small piece of history by qualifying for a front row start, the first female rider to do so in any CEV round. Her grid appearance for the CEV Repsol Moto3 race was boosted as Álvaro Bautista stood by her side until the start of the race along with world championship rider and recent Moto3 winner Alex Rins who acted as her “umbrella boy” for the day.
Maria has been training together with talented Álvaro Bautista for many years and shown great promise from the start, collecting excellent results in various smaller Cups along the way which eventually secured her a spot with the highly experienced Repsol CEV Team last year. Rumours about her joining the world championship as early as 2013 were known, while fellow female Spaniard Ana Carrasco made the step up with Team Calvo this year to become the first female regular in the Moto3 world championship, Maria stayed in the Spanish Championship for her second full season to collect more experience.
MORE ABOUT REPSOL CEV MOTO3 CLASS
Repsol, the official fuel provider for the CEV, has a strong commitment to supporting young talent. The Racing Effitec CEV fuel used by every team in the national series allows for optimum engine performance.
Repsol is the new title sponsor of the Spanish Championship (CEV), the developing ground for many young riders ahead of a move to the World Championship. The energy company has been committed to motorsport since 1969, and will lend its name to the next two editions of the championship that features riders from more than 20 countries.
Thanks to this agreement, the competition will now be officially known as the CEV Repsol. It will continue to nurture the top young talents in racing, while Repsol will also strengthen a commitment to the development of young sport persons.
The energy company will provide the Repsol Power Racing Effitec CEV fuel to every participating team, allowing them to optimise the performance of their engines. The company is the official provider of fuel for the Repsol Honda Team in the MotoGP World Championship.
CEV Serious Precedents – Pedrosa and Marquez
The large majority of participants in the World Championship have previously ridden in the CEV, and some have gone on to become World Champions in Grand Prix racing’s three categories. Dani Pedrosa, Marc Marquez, Casey Stoner, Jorge Lorenzo, Alvaro Bautista, Stefan Bradl, Nico Terol and Julian Simon all got their start in the series.
Looking through the grids in all three categories, 84% of the Moto3 riders, 76% of those in Moto2 and 55% of the MotoGP stars in the 2012 season had previous experience in the CEV.
For the past two seasons, Repsol has had a presence in the CEV through a team directed by Emilio Alzamora, which took the Moto3 title in both 2011 and 2012 thanks to riders Alex Rins and Alex Marquez.
This year 2013 represents the 16th edition of the CEV competition.
Between 130 and 150 riders will participate across four categories: Moto3, Moto2, Stock Extreme and Kawasaki Z Cup. The minimum age for inscription is 14.
Repsol confirmed LAST February that Maria Herrera would compete in the CEV Spanish Championship in the Moto3 class wearing Repsol colours. The 15-year-old rider is supported by the energy company in her first season on the national stage.
Victory For Motorcycle Racer Maria Herrera
Maria Herrera is one of the most promising young Spanish riders. She comes into the CEV series as a replacement for reigning champion and fellow Repsol rider Álex Rins, who will be competing in the Moto3 World Championship this season. Herrera’s own quest for an eventual move up to world level begins with her joining the Repsol-sponsored Monlau Competición team.
This is the first win for a female racer in any of the classes of the Spanish Championship series which puts Maria now also in a good position to fight for the championship.
The 2013 calendar as follows:
28th April, Circuit de Catalunya
Race 1: Moto3, Moto2, Stock Extreme and Kawasaki Z Cup
Race 2: Moto3
26th May, MotorLand Aragón
Race 1: Moto3, Moto2 and Stock Extreme
Race 2: Moto2
23rd June, Circuito de Albacete
Race 1: Moto3, Moto2, Stock Extreme and Kawasaki Z Cup
Race 2: Kawasaki Z Cup
8 September, Circuito de Albacete
Race 1: Moto3, Moto2 and Stock Extreme
Race 2: Stock Extreme
22nd September, Circuito de Navarra
Race 1: Moto3, Moto2, Stock Extreme and Kawasaki Z Cup
Race 2: Moto2 and Kawasaki Z Cup
17th November, Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana
Race 1: Moto3, Moto2, Stock Extreme and Kawasaki Z Cup
Race 2: Moto3
24th November, Circuito de Jerez
Race 1: Moto3, Moto2 and Stock Extreme
Race 2: Stock Extreme
