The third season of the FIM Women‘s Circuit Racing World Championship (WorldWCR) kicks off on March 27 in Portimao. Seven rookies are joining the grid this year as part of the 24-rider full-time line-up. We continue with our WorldWCR Special Series of riders‘ interviews. Today, we give you the story of French rider Line Vieillard.
All photos © Line Vieillard
Hailing from Clermont-Ferrand, France, Line Vieillard first discovered motorsport when her brother started riding bikes. “My father made my brother ride motorcycles when he was a kid. When I saw him ride, I told my dad that I wanted to ride bikes too. So I got to try it, and I loved it from the beginning.”
From minibikes, Line gradually progressed into the Pre-Moto3 category of FrenchSBK. In 2019, she reached one of the highlights of her career so far, winning the opening race of the championship in Le Mans Bugatti Circuit. “It was my first win, I can’t even describe my feelings, but it was incredible.”
Like many riders, Line has faced injuries and undergone surgeries over the years, but these challenges never dimmed her passion for motorcycling. “I got injured a lot, and I’ve been through a lot of surgeries. Even my family asked me, why do you want to keep racing if you get hurt this much. But this is my passion, it’s my life. I live for it. It’s what I do.”
In 2022, after competing in the FrenchSBK Supersport300 category for two seasons, Line decided to take a short break from racing to focus on her studies for a college degree. Throughout that three-year period away, returning to racing remained her goal. “I always wanted to go back to high-level championships. Even though I was away from the racing, I still kept on training, especially physical training. After I got my diploma, my old team contacted me. We discussed a lot, and they asked me if I was motivated to come back to the French Championship, with the hope of entering the World Championship. I said yes, I wanted to return to learn a new bike.”
I know last year was a year to learn again, not really a year to perform. This year, it’s my year to perform.
Last year, as the top female rider in FrenchSBK, Line earned a wildcard entry to the French round of the WorldWCR at Magny-Cours. Despite the Yamaha R7 in WorldWCR being quite different from the R7 she raced in the FrenchSBK Yamaha Challenge SSP700, Line scored points in both races that weekend. “It was such a great opportunity for me. WorldWCR is the highest level for women in motorcycling. It was such an honor for me to race in it as a wildcard, so I could compare myself with the others and check if I was in the game or not. It turned out I was! For the wildcard, it was a new championship for me. I arrived towards the end of the season, and the bike has different suspensions and settings. So I faced a lot of challenges, but when I look back at my results, I think I have the potential to perform in the championship. I can do podiums. It’s a great motivation for me.”
Following that successful wildcard appearance, Line is now set to join the full-time WorldWCR line-up in 2026. As she said, she’s aiming for podium finishes and to fully realize her potential. “I’ve made changes to my R7 to fit the World Championship spec, so now I know the bike better. I want to be Rookie of the Year, and I want to stand on the podium. I know these are very challenging goals, and I still have a lot to work on to make them possible. For example, I really need to work on my start. I’m training a lot, I work hard, I eat well, I will give my all to make it possible.”
When Line was younger, both Valentino Rossi and Maria Herrera were her racing idols. Now, she has not only raced against Maria but will also compete alongside her for a full season. “When I saw Maria racing in Moto3, I thought I wanted to do the same. Now we are actually in the same championship! It’s crazy!”
In addition to racing alongside her idol, Line is excited to tackle circuits like Donington Park, even though every track on the WorldWCR calendar will be new to her. With the new season on the horizon, she is currently balancing intense training with her work as a nutritionist. “I work at an elderly home and at a climbing gym during the week. After work, I do my physical training. It’s still very cold in France now, but I will start my training on the bike very soon. ”
The 2024 WorldWCR Calendar
Round 1 – 27th-29th March: Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, Portugal
Round 2 – 17th-19th April: TT Circuit Assen, Netherlands
Round 3 – 1st-3rd May: Balaton Park Circuit, Hungary
Round 4 – 12th-14th June: Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, Italy
Round 5 – 10th-12th July: Donington Park, UK
Round 6 – 16th-18th October: Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, Spain*
*Subject to contract
Paddock Sorority 
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