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A double Top 10 finish marked the World Women's Championship debut of Lucy Michel, the rising star of German women's motorcycling. Germany's only representative among the 25 female riders engaged in the inaugural season of the WorldWCR, the 19-year-old riding for the TSL-Racing team arrived to tread the World stage with 11 years of career behind her and the goal of continuing her learning curve, holding high the flag of her homeland in the highest expression of women's motorcycling.
"I‘m very proud that I’m the only rider from Germany in WorldWCR and I’m very proud to represent my country," Lucy admitted recounting in an interview granted to the championship the path that has led her to measure herself against some of the strongest female riders in the World. Passionate about motorcycles since childhood, the young German began taking her first steps in motorcycling in 2012, when she convinced her parents to sign her up for a test session at the Sachsenring after seeing an advertisement for youth racing at the circuit located on the outskirts of Hohenstein-Ernstthal.
"I can’t describe the feeling it was just crazy. I love that adrenaline rush on the bike," she said, thinking back to the emotions she felt in that first contact that then led her to take part in her first ever race at the Saxoniaring in Freiberg, which ended with a 5th place finish.
Completing her first full season in the ADAC Pocket Bike Cup the following year, Michel then raced in the ADAC Minibike Cup and the ADAC Junior Cup, also achieving a podium finish in the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU Cup in Germany in 2022 as a guest rider, and then in 2023 in the Supersport 300 class of the IDM, finishing 21st.
All mixed championships where young Lucy always felt welcome, as she admitted when talking about the biggest pitfalls she faced in her career, "“I actually always felt welcome by the boys and I have had no problems. When I moved up into the Junior Cup I was smaller than I am now and it was difficult to get to grips with the big bike and the new tracks. Those were the biggest challenges for me."
Learning of new tracks, and becoming familiar with the Yamaha R7, will all be challenges she will face again this year, as the TSL-Racing team rider has never competed at the Donington Park, Portimao, Estoril and Jerez circuits that make up the 2024 Women's World Championship calendar. A task she will likely complete by adopting the usual race preparation.
"I do sport and play the PS4 WorldSBK game. Just before the race itself I look at the track on the plan, where to give it gas and where to brake. Then I listen to music on the grid. Usually some techno," explained the German girl, who when she's not on the track or training is studying medical radiology techniques. "My college is very good and they give me time off for riding and then I have to catch up with the studying, so my friends support me with the school stuff."
What advice would Lucy give to young girls who aspire to follow in her footsteps and get to compete at the highest level of motorcycling? "If you dare to do it, you can do it and you should never give up," said the Valentino Rossi supporter, who at the level of female athletes is instead inspired by Maria Herrera.
Automatic Translation by DeepL
