Moto3: Ana Carrasco to become first female Moto3 rider?

By Lisa Lewis

Ana Carrasco could become the Moto3 World Championship's first female participant after being linked with the JHK T-shirt Laglisse outfit for 2013.

The 15-year-old currently rides for the team in the CEV Buckler Moto3 category of the Spanish championship on a Honda and, ahead of the final round, is 17th in the standings with 20 points. She is one of three girls to compete in the CEV, alongside Montserrat Costa and Repsol sponsored Maria Herrera.

Laglisse used a FTR Honda for the majority of the 2012 season but are expected to switch to KTM for 2013, a move mentioned by Carrasco on her own Twitter feed:

"IRTA has confirmed the lists for Moto3 World Championship 2013. KTM will run with team Laglisse. Hopefully everything is confirmed."

Laglisse, which ran three riders in 2012, could change its full line up for 2013. Efren Vazquez has already moved to Mahindra, Alberto Moncayo was replaced by Hector Faubel for the Valencia finale and Adrian Martin is yet to confirm his plans.

Laglisse is also rumoured in the Spanish press to be the team most interested in paying to release Maverick Vinales from his Blusens Avintia contract.

With the future of female Moto2 rider Elena Rosell yet to be confirmed, Carrasco could find herself the lone woman in the paddock, though not the first to contest the lightweight class.

Taru Rinne of Finland was the first woman to score points in any GP class during the 1988 125cc season while Japan's Tomoko Igata was the more successful, achieving the highest placing for a female rider in the history of the championship, a seventh place in the Czech Republic during the 1995 season.