Last time we had the chance to have a Q&A with Thai rider Muklada Sarapuech was in early 2020. At the time, she was just announced as the first female rider to compete for a full season in the Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) SuperSport 600 class. Since then, Muklada has completed three seasons in ARRC and also took some time away from racing to work as a coach. This season, Muklada has come back in the strongest way possible: with a wildcard entry into WorldWCR, she stormed the field with podium-worthy performances. We had the opportunity to ask her a few more questions after Balaton Park, here’s more from Muklada Sarapuech.
© All photos provided by EEST NJT Racing Team
In 2023, after three seasons in the Asia Road Racing Championship SuperSport 600, Muklada stepped away from racing and started an exciting new chapter in her motorcycling life. “I decided to take a break from racing and transition into a coaching role. It was a completely different experience from being a rider, but it taught me a lot and became a very meaningful chapter in my career.”
While Muklada was in her coaching role, the WorldWCR was introduced to the world. For the first two seasons, Muklada followed as an audience member just as she follows MotoGP and other categories in WorldSBK. But part of her knew, WorldWCR could be her shot to go international, finishing what she started back in 2015. “I have been following the championship over the past few seasons, along with MotoGP and World Supersport. It has been exciting to watch the level of competition continue to grow every year. The decision to return to racing came from the fact that I never lost my passion for speed. Deep down, I always wanted to be back out on the track. I’m incredibly fortunate to have the backing and support of the EEST NJT Racing Team.”
I truly believed this was the right challenge for me. I wanted to test myself against strong riders and continue growing as a racer.
However, Muklada’s application came in a little bit late. The full-time lineup was already formed with 24 riders. So her WorldWCR journey started in Portimao as a wildcard entry. Coming onto the international stage is challenging, as both the bike and all the circuits are new for her. “I have never ridden this specific brand of bike before, and every circuit on the calendar is completely new to me. For every circuit, I prepare by studying footage and videos from previous years, watching them on repeat. That is my main method of getting a feel for the tracks before I actually arrive to race. I’m looking forward to every single circuit on the calendar. Since they are all brand new to me, each round brings its own excitement that I can’t wait to experience.”
I see these challenges as motivation to keep improving and pushing myself every race weekend.
Even with all these challenges, Muklada stunned the world with her debut, scoring points in both races. “Going into the first race, I felt both excited and nervous. My main goal was simply to finish in the best position possible and learn as much as I could. The result turned out even better than expected, and earning another wildcard opportunity for the following round made me incredibly happy and grateful.”
The best memory of my career is being able to race internationally and represent Thailand while making Thai fans proud.
Now with three rounds completed, Muklada continues to shine every race weekend. She had four top 5 finishes already, challenging for podium positions each time. She currently ranks P5 in the championship. But as a wildcard entry, her participation in future rounds is not completely secured yet, she plays down her overall championship hopes. “My achievements this season have already far exceeded my expectations. Since I am competing as a wildcard entry, I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself with expectations, but I am committed to giving my absolute best every single time I hit the track.”
Now that Muklada has kick-started her international career so successfully, we are sure she will be part of the full-time lineup next year in WorldWCR, and achieve even greater things in the future! “Over the next few years, my goal is to continue improving as a rider, achieve strong results internationally, and hopefully become a champion in the series I compete in one day.”
We wish Muklada all the best of luck in Misano next week and beyond!
Paddock Sorority 
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