ROBERTA PONZIANI: ‘There’s a real chance I’ll have to stay at home’

October 28, 2026

• ROBERTA PONZIANI, first Italian to win a Women’s World Championship race, finished fourth overall in 2026 with three podiums — yet faces being left off next year’s grid entirely.
• Her Klint Forward Racing squad won’t contest the 2027 championship, leaving PONZIANI without backing; she says finding equivalent team support is “practically impossible.”
• CHLOE JONES, third in the championship in 2025 and fifth this year with race wins, privately told PONZIANI she faces the same sponsorship crisis — highlighting a systemic funding problem at the top of the series.
• MARIA HERRERA has also called for at least one race in the MotoGP paddock to boost visibility; PONZIANI echoes the demand, arguing more exposure is the only way to attract sponsors.
• A season in the Women’s World Championship costs 30,000–100,000 euros all-in; the 2027 switch from Yamaha R7 to CFMoto 675SR-R keeps organizer-supplied bike costs broadly stable but adds testing demands.

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