Portuguese motorcycle racer Madalena Simões is making history as her country’s first—and only—female competitor in the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship, riding for FB Racing Team aboard a Yamaha YZF-R7.

EARLY YEARS

Born December 22, 2000, in Lisboa, Portugal, Madalena grew up with motorsport coursing through her veins like a second heartbeat. Her father had been a national 125cc championship winner multiple times and competed internationally before retiring from racing when she was young. Racing wasn’t just the family business—it was their DNA.

But here’s the twist: Simões didn’t immediately follow in dad’s tire tracks. She was content being Valentino Rossi’s number one fangirl, living for MotoGP races during The Doctor’s prime years. His charisma and skill became her blueprint for what a racer could be. Then, seemingly overnight, the switch flipped. From armchair enthusiast to helmet-on competitor, Madalena made the leap into motorcycle racing at 17—a move that appeared abrupt to outsiders but felt inevitable to anyone who knew her.

OTHER INTERESTS

Beyond the track, Simões maintains a disciplined routine that blends physical training with technical practice. Her days are structured around maintaining the fitness and mental sharpness required for elite-level racing, though specific hobbies outside motorsport remain largely private. What’s clear is that racing isn’t just what she does—it’s who she is.

EARLY SUCCESS

Her career started in the brightest way possible. That first race on a big bike? Pure magic. The kind of debut that makes you think, “Yeah, this girl’s got it.” She quickly moved through Portugal’s Moto5 class with a strong season that turned heads and raised expectations sky-high.

Then reality hit. Hard. Moving up to the Portuguese Supersport 300 championship, she struggled to replicate those early results. Racing a brand new Yamaha R3 in the Portuguese SS300 championship, with plans to tackle two or three international races, Simões found herself fighting an uphill battle. She aimed for podiums—top three in Portugal initially, then victories as the season progressed—but the results didn’t match the ambition. Financial hurdles can be devastating in motorsport, and after those promising early years, Madalena had to step away from racing entirely. For two years, she watched from the sidelines while the dream sat in neutral.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2025: Competed in the inaugural season of WorldWCR (FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship) as Portugal’s sole representative, riding for FB Racing Team.
• 2025: Raced at TT Circuit Assen in the Dutch Round (April 11-13), finishing 12th in Race One.
• 2025: Participated in the Acerbis Italian Round at Cremona Circuit (May 2-4), though crashed in Race Two’s early stages.

INSPIRATIONS

Growing up during Valentino Rossi’s golden era shaped everything about how Simões approaches racing. The Italian legend’s style, his theatrical presence, his ability to make racing look like performance art—all of it seeped into her understanding of what it means to be a racer. She’s also cited Maria Herrera as an inspiration, admiring the Spanish rider’s 2024 performance and hoping to match her success.

REPUTATION

Within the tight-knit WorldWCR paddock, Simões has earned respect simply by showing up—by refusing to let a two-year absence be the end of her story. As the only Portuguese woman racing at this level, she carries the weight of representation without making a fuss about it. She’s known for resilience more than results at this stage, for the grit it takes to restart a stalled career when the money runs out and the opportunities dry up. WorldWCR gave her the lifeline she needed to find her way back to racing, and she’s grabbing it with both hands.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Simões is focused on establishing herself in the 2025 WorldWCR season and beyond. After years away from competition, simply being back on track represents a victory—but she’s not here just to participate. The goal is progress: better results, consistent finishes, and proving that her early promise wasn’t a fluke. With the 2025 season underway and rounds spanning from Assen to Cremona, she’s building momentum one race at a time, determined to make Portugal proud and show that comebacks aren’t just possible—they’re worth fighting for.

REFERENCES

WorldWCR Series Vol. 11 Madalena Simões – Paddock Sorority
Meet the WorldWCR Class of 2025 – Females in Motorsport
Madalena Simoes – WorldSBK
Madalena Simões: The Prodigy of Portugal – Race Week
WorldWCR: Race Two Results From Cremona – Roadracing World
WorldWCR: Race One Results From Assen – Roadracing World
2025 FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship – Wikipedia