MARIA HERRERA Shows Championship Speed Despite 5-Month Injury Recovery

April 4, 2025

GRRL! SUMMARY:

MARIA HERRERA proved she’s still championship material by clocking P2 at WorldWCR’s first official Cremona test, just behind BEATRIZ NELIA but ahead of teammate ROBERTA PONZIANI. After spending five months recovering from a neck injury suffered at this very track last season, Herrera’s immediate pace shows the 2024 runner-up hasn’t lost a step despite the extended break.
The irony is perfect – Herrera returns to the scene of her Turn 11 crash that derailed her hat-trick weekend last season, only to immediately go under the existing lap record and remind everyone why she won six races in 2024. Her crash here cost her momentum heading into the final rounds, but watching her laugh about “five months in bed” while posting times this competitive? That’s championship mindset.
With the season opener at Assen’s “Cathedral of Speed” just days away (April 11-13), Herrera’s testing performance sends a clear message to the grid. She admits needing more training after her extended recovery, but if this is her with rust, the competition should be worried about what she looks like when she’s fully dialed in for race weekend.