New opportunities for brands as female racing takes off

The launch of the exciting new Dorna-backed FIM Women's Circuit Racing World Championship (WorldWCR) is an exciting landmark for female riders. In this article we’ll look at what the new series and a growing female presence on the racetrack means from a commercial perspective and how brands can get ahead of the trend.

The start of the WorldWCR at Misano in mid-June is an exciting new chapter for female participation at the elite level of road racing. It presents an opportunity for the sport, its key stakeholders, riders and associated brands to promote riding motorcycles to women around the world.

24 riders on Yamahas and Pirellis

The championship will see the riders battle on Yamaha R7 bikes equipped with Pirelli tyres alongside the WorldSBK races at six rounds in 2024, including visits to Donington Park, Portimão, Balaton Park, Cremona and Jerez. All the races will be streamed live and for free on YouTube.

The entry list of riders includes competitors from 18 different countries including Australia, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, UK and USA.

It’s a truly international field and the potential for the championship is massive, especially given Dorna’s pending takeover by Liberty Media, the incoming new owners who have made positive noises about how important the WorldWCR could be in their plans for expanding the sport.

WorldWCR part of a wider Dorna plan

This insightful analysis by Octagon on the opportunities for brands following Liberty Media’s acquisition of MotoGP and Dorna does not specifically focus on the WorldWCR, though it is excellent reading for any brand manager considering a partnership in the sport.

Here on the Motorcycle Marketing blog we have also previously covered related topics such as how to ensure maximum sponsorship ROI in racing and the effectiveness of racing as a marketing tool for manufacturers.

Dorna’s official promotion of the new series states, “As a dedicated space for women in professional racing, the WorldWCR breaks stereotypes, increases representation, and inspires the next generation. Celebrating skill and passion, it establishes a new platform where talent takes centre stage and breaks barriers.”

Plenty of sponsorship ‘white space’

Yamaha and Pirelli have already demonstrated their support by becoming involved right from the word go, but the championship does not yet have its own title sponsor. Many of the teams participating are still looking for sponsors, backers and official suppliers themselves and that presents early opportunities for brands looking for exposure.

2018 WorldSSP300 Champion Ana Carrasco - the only woman to have won a title at World Championship level competing against men – is one of the favourites for the WorldWCR trophy in its inaugural season.

She told worldsbk.com, “The Championship is a very positive idea; it’s important that Dorna and the FIM try to help all female riders. We’re not many and it’s important to get that help. For me, to be in this Championship was also important because for the first time ever, everyone is trying to push the female riders. I’m one of the top female riders around the world so I think it’s good for me to try and be in the Championship in this first year.”

Carrasco is already a star in her own right, a role model to younger female riders across the globe and a Monster athlete. She has partnerships with the likes of Alpinestars, Arai and several more small brands from Spain and Italy, yet is perhaps still undervalued commercially by the larger companies – especially with such a good chance of winning the first ever WorldWCR.

The likely challengers in the first season

So, who are Carrasco’s rivals and fellow challengers for the title? Telling that story is the job of Dorna and the motorsports media. It’s a task that the team here at Motorcycle Marketing will also be involved with as we produce profiles and interviews with the riders on the 2024 WorldWCR grid for the official website.

It was recently announced that the talented Maria Herrera - a regular Moto3 and WorldSSP point scorer and ambassador for the likes of Airoh, Alpinestars, DHL, Oakley and Trek – will be a part of the championship. Herrera has that star quality and the talent to take the fight to her compatriot Carrasco.

The pre-season test at Cremona also provided an indication of who the faster women and contenders for victories will be. Roberta Ponziani, Sara Sanchez and Beatriz Neila were all quick, whilst Australia’s Tayla Relph made history by topping the first ever WorldWCR test session.

Relph then spoke to worldsbk.com, saying, “There’s not enough representation in Australia, we race against the men. I didn’t have a lot of role models in racing growing up, so if I can just convince one more woman to get involved in this sport in Australia, that’s a World Championship to me.”

That quote perfectly captures the positive mood around the WorldWCR and highlights just what a good opportunity it presents to commercial partners at the championship, team and rider level.

Where else are female riders excelling?

Away from road racing at the World Championship level the FIM E-Xplorer World Cup is now in its second season promoting sustainability with mixed teams racing electric dirt bikes in iconic venues. Brands such as Honda, Stark Future and Seven are involved, with female riders competing in partnership with male teammates. There are several strong national MX championships around the world, whilst the FIM Women's Motocross World Championship inaugurated in 2005 has produced incredible off-road talents such as Kiara Fontanesi and Courtney Duncan.

In Rally-Raid the inspirational Vanessa Ruck (AKA The Girl on a Bike) made history earlier this year by becoming the first British woman ever to finish the epic 13-day 6000km Africa Eco Race.

Helping female riders break down barriers

Supporting pioneering athletes such as those mentioned above provides great value for brands. Offering sponsorships to female racers can significantly boost their careers, their profile and potentially their ability to perform at the highest level, while also promoting the brand in a highly positive light, reaching specific audience demographics. Sponsorship deals can include financial support, providing equipment and well-defined and organised promotional agreements to make the investment worthwhile for both parties.

Partnering with female motorcycle influencers away from racing can also amplify a brand’s reach and credibility amongst both female and male riders. Influencers and brand ambassadors who are not full-time athletes often have more flexibility in terms of the content they can create and can be identified by niche to promote brands to specific segments of motorcycle enthusiasts.

Riders such as Bea Eguiraun, Alina Cateyka, Runa Grydeland, Leonoor Fischer and, of course, Itchy Boots are experienced brand ambassadors and content creators, who know how to represent brands professionally and impactfully.

Females in Motorsport & More Than Equal

For industry professionals interested in promoting and following the progress of women in the motorcycle and motorsports industries we highly recommend following the excellent Females in Motorsport group on LinkedIn or Instagram.

They describe themselves as, ‘Global racing stars and TV presenters to mechanics and wind tunnel technicians. Females in Motorsport is a volunteer-run platform aiming to share as many stories from those working in the industry as possible. We started out as just a small idea in our bedrooms and now we have reached over 25 million people across our articles and social media platforms.’

Meanwhile, crossing over to four-wheels the David Coulthard backed More Than Equal campaign is an admirable initiative working towards the goal of getting female drivers into F1 and ultimately towards producing an female F1 champion. Tellingly, their marketing material includes the assertion that, ‘56% of female fans are more likely to purchase products from companies who support women in sport.’

Plenty of room for growth

In the motorcycle industry the upside to investment in women’s racing and marketing to women is huge. Visor Down quoted UK government data updated to 2022, for example, showing that the percentage of female motorcyclists in the country was under 14%, whilst for France the most up to date figures from Statista show that number as below 16%. In short, there are a lot of potential future female motorcycle riders out there who are not yet two-wheel converts.

As female participation in motorcycle racing increases, brands and manufacturers have a unique opportunity to engage with this potentially rapidly expanding market segment. By addressing the needs and interests of female riders, companies can support the evolution of the sport, foster brand loyalty and drive sales.

If you’re interested in the commercial opportunities surrounding female racing or simply wish to connect more with the female motorcycling community contact the experienced team here at Motorcycle Marketing today for a free consultancy session.

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