The second season of the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship (WorldWCR) kicked off at TT Circuit Assen on April 11. Maria Herrera, the championship favorite winning race 1, and Beatriz Neila winning race 2. We continue with our WorldWCR Special Series of riders’ interviews. Today, we give you the the story of French rider Lucie Boudesseul. In the opening round, Lucie crashed out of race 1 and finished 9th in race 2. Here is her story.
All photos © Lily Raw
Though her parents had no connection to motorcycling, Lucie Boudesseul’s passion for bikes has been ingrained in her since childhood. Since the age of five, she’s been yearning for her time on a bike. “I was always passionate about motorcycles. It might seem a bit strange because my parents were never into them. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved bikes. When I was five, I had the chance to sit on a Yamaha PW50 in a motorcycle shop, and I just didn’t want to get off of it. But of course, my parents didn’t let me start riding at that time. But I know that I want to from that moment on.”
At the age of 14, a pivotal moment arrived when Lucie stumbled upon a Moto3 race video online. The experience ignited her determination to pursue racing seriously. “I saw a video of Moto3 race online. I thought it was amazing. I immediately felt that I wanted to try. I clearly remember my feeling of being on a bike for the first time. It was a mix of excitement and adrenalin rush. I had been dreaming about it for so long. Finally making it happen was an incredible experience.”
When Lucie sought to launch her career, a team was also actively recruiting female riders to form a women’s team. Their mutual search for opportunity led to her first competitive breakthrough. “I had this deep desire to race after actually tried to ride the bike for the first time. There was a team competing in the Normady Endurance Championship near my home. They were looking for female riders to build a women’s team. So I was looking for a way to start riding, and they were looking for female riders. That was how I got my first opportunity to race.”
Inspired by a Moto3 race, with the first rider’s name she knew being Stefano Nepa, Lucie’s racing idol though, has always been Marc Marquez. “His riding style is very different from other riders. He is aggressive, impressive, and extremely effective. He managed to be both aggressive in overtaking and intelligent in race management, which makes him a compete rider. I also admire his personality off the track.”
After racing for a year, Lucie’s progression accelerated under the mentorship of rider coach David Veillon, whose simulator also supports MotoGP riders like Fabio Quatararo. “He had been the key to my development as a rider. He told me everything about how to be fast on a bike – the right body position, riding techniques, and even the mechanics of the motorcycle. Thanks to him. I can now rebuild my bike in my home.”
Lucie’s early years in the FSBK championship were fraught with challenges, including limited budgets and mechanical setbacks. Competing in the SSP300 category with underprepared equipment tested her resolve. “When I was competing in FSBK, I first raced in SSP300, then moved up to 1000cc. When I was in SSP300, I didn’t have the skills, and we didn’t have enough budget to get a well-equipped bike. I had many mechanical issues. It was frustrating, because I trained hard, but I couldn’t show my full potential. At one point, we even questioned if it was worth continuing. What kept me going was my love for the sport. My coach and I knew I had potential. We decided to move to another category where the set up of the bike wasn’t as important so I could prove myself.”
Moving up to 1000cc, Lucie really started to thrive. But still, some questioned her abilities. This time, she silenced all skeptics with her stunning results. “The transition was smooth for me. I’ve always focused a lot on my physical training and adapting to different bikes has always been one of my strengths. I have done a lot of exercise to improve my balance and my strength, which has helped me adapt quickly to different bikes. My first podium in 2024 was in Le Mans, it was one of my best memories. I got on the podium in a wet race. At the time, many people thought I could only be fast in the wet condition. But later that season, I proved them wrong by getting another podium in the dry condition.”
At first, I wasn’t particularly excited about the idea of a women-only championship. But after looking into it, I saw the level of competition, the media coverage, and the effort to create a professional championship for female riders. It felt like an amazing opportunity.
This season, Lucie is making her debut in the WorldWCR. Like she said, the level of competition is high, she sees the challenges, but she’s also prepared. “There are two big challenge for me this season. First, I am switching from 1000cc bikes to the Yamaha R7. I need to adapt to a different type of machine. Second, I am moving from a mixed championship, where I was the only woman on the grid, to a women-only championship. I have never raced against these riders on equal machines, I have no idea where I stand compared to them. My goal is to finish in the top ten in every races, and I would love to get at least one podium this season. We will see how things go. I mainly want to make the most of this incredible opportunity to race at the world level. I’m focusing on my physical training and my riding skills. I also use the MotoGP simulator to learn the tracks since I don’t know most of the circuits in the championship. I’m working with a mental coach and I pay close attention to my diet to optimize my performance.”
At the opening round in Assen, Lucie crashed out of race 1 while fighting for a top-10 spot and finished race 2 with a solid 9th. Now that she’s kicked off the season with a strong start, let’s see whether she can keep it up and continue to charge forward!
The 2025 WorldWCR Calendar
1. Dutch Round, TT Circuit Assen – 11-13 April
2. Acerbis Italian Round, Cremona Circuit – 2-4 May
3. Prosecco DOC UK Round, Donington Park – 11-13 July
4. Hungarian Round, Balaton Park Circuit* – 25-27 July
5. French Round, Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours – 5-7 September
6. Spanish Round, Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto – 17-19 October
* Subject to homologation
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