Official: Former WorldSSP300 champion Ana Carrasco returns to Moto3

Ana Carrasco will return to Moto3 for the 2022 season after officially signing for the BOE SKX Racing team.

Carrasco became the first-ever woman to win an FIM world championship when she claimed the 2018 WorldSSP300 title.

The 24 year-old, who won at least one race in each of the five seasons she spent in Supersport300, will return to Moto3 for the first time in eight years. 

While moving across to grand prix racing is a step that most riders would take, the ‘emotional step’ that is leaving the WorldSBK paddock was a tough one to make for Carrasco: "Racing is tough, not just on track where people see but also at times like this when you have to make tough decisions. 

"My ambition is always to grow as a rider, to set myself new goals that other’s see as impossible and to achieve them.  

"When my parents bought me my first minibike and then I started racing, of course my dream was like any rider “one day I want to be a World Champion”. 

"This I achieved in 2018 and even today that feeling is magical; but anyone that understands racing will know that every racer needs to push, to be ambitious and to test themselves again and again.

"This opportunity to ride in Moto3 is a logical step in my mind even if the emotional step is hard."

Carrasco’s best result during her previous three Moto3 seasons was an eighth place in Valencia (2013), which also remains the only top ten finish she achieved to this point. 

With no clear opportunity to move up to WorldSSP for 2022, it’s no surprise that Carrasco has re-joined Moto3 as she aims to win a second world title.  

Carrasco added: "I would like to thank everyone at Kawasaki who truly made me feel part of a racing family, of course to my pit crews and team staff across these years who gave me the best machinery to compete on plus Provec who created a professional environment that was just incredible. 

"Finally, I must say a special thanks to Eliseo Escamez, Alvar Garriga, the Roda brothers and all Provec team members, who were always there for me with friendly help and advice and truly believed in me and, of course, my parents who started this amazing journey. 

"I thank all of you and hope you understand you all played a part in making me the rider and person I am. I hope I can repay your kindness with a second World Championship. Thank you."

Carrasco will replace David Salvador at the BOE SKX team which has been in place since 2015, while lining-up alongside fellow Spaniard David Munoz.