Anina Urlaß’s History Making on Her Road to MotoGP

On April 19, Anina Urlaß made history by winning Race 2 of the Moto4 Northern Cup season opener in Assen, becoming the first-ever female rider to win in this series, and the first female winner in the entire Road to MotoGP program since Maria Herrera in 2014. This is Anina‘s second full season in the series (last year, Moto4 Northern Cup was branded as the Northern Talent Cup), and she‘s already on track for a season in the title fight. We recently had the chance to ask Anina a few questions. Here is her remarkable story on two wheels.

© All photos provided by JRP Motorsport

Born in 2010 in Hohndorf, Germany, Anina Urlaß grew up in a family full of motorsport enthusiasm. Living just a stone’s throw away from the Sachsenring, she first started training on bikes alongside her brother, and everything else unfolded naturally from there. “My grandfather and my father have both always been motor racing enthusiasts. My brother used to race as well, so once whilst he was training on the mini bike he raced at the time, I tried a pocket bike for the first time. I enjoyed it so much that I’ve been training and riding ever since.”

When I competed in my first races, I realised I could be good at it. I didn’t plan on becoming a professional rider at the start. It was only through my race results that things became more and more professional.

In those early days of riding and racing, it was Anina’s father who taught her the most important lessons in motorcycling. Later, as she moved up to bigger bikes, her compatriot, former Grand Prix rider Stefan Bradl, stepped in with valuable tips to help her keep improving. Over the years, Anina steadily climbed the ladder: she won the ADAC Pocket Bike Cup in 2019, and became the ADAC Mini Bike Cup runner-up in both 2020 and 2021.

In 2022, Anina arrived in MiniGP Austria (now rebranded as MotoMini Austria) and officially began her “Road to MotoGP.” In her second season in the series, she clinched the 190cc title and earned a place in the FIM MiniGP World Final. “I think winning the MotoMini Austria Championship was a real highlight of my career so far.”

Graduating from MiniGP, the next logical step on Anina’s Road to MotoGP was the Northern Talent Cup. However, because she would only meet the age limit in August 2024, she made just two wildcard entries, at Assen and the Nürburgring, yet still made a powerful impression by scoring 46 points in four races. Last year, Anina finally enjoyed her first full season in the championship, standing on the podium in her first three races and finishing fourth overall. “I had technical problems at Most and the Sachsenring, which did annoy me a bit. But a few words of encouragement from people close to me calmed me and sorted everything out.”

A strong rookie season has laid a solid foundation for Anina’s road ahead. Now entering her second full campaign, she is brimming with confidence, yet fully aware of just how competitive the grid is. “I learned a lot from my first season. Above all, how to handle myself in close battles and how to put in fast laps in qualifying. The race starts were also tricky at first with the big bike. And unfortunately, I also had to serve my first long-lap penalty. But I gained experience from that too. I can now approach the new season with a bit more ease, as I’ve already gained a lot of experience. I want to win the Moto4 Northern Cup. But it’s going to be tough to come out on top with so many fast riders.”

And what a start to the season it has been. As the action kicked off in Assen, Anina quickly emerged as one of the title favorites. She took pole position, finished second in Race 1, and then made history by winning Race 2. She left Assen tied on points with Thias Wenzel, both sharing the championship lead.

Beyond the Moto4 Northern Cup lies the next milestone on the Road to MotoGP: the Red Bull Rookies Cup. Anina has her eyes firmly set on it, and she knows exactly what she excels at, and where she still needs to work. “I want to get into the Red Bull Rookies Cup and put in a really good performance there. I can put in fast laps on my own without needing to follow another rider. I also think my cornering speed is very good. I still need to improve my race strategy. And I can also make significant improvements in braking and corner entry.”

As a 15-year-old schoolgirl, motorcycling is not everything in Anina’s life. Schoolwork remains an important piece of the puzzle, and she has to carefully balance it with her training and racing. “I go to school until about 3 pm. After that, I do my homework and study for school. Then I do some endurance, fitness, or strength training, and after that it’s usually already time to go to bed.”

The Moto4 Northern Cup circus arrives at the Sachsenring on May 8. We wish Anina the very best of luck at her home round, and for the rest of the season!