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Marina Rivas
Malaga
Friday, 31 January 2025
She has grown up immersed in a man's world, but far from shying away, her knowledge that she is able to compete with them, continues to motivate her. She has immense character and innate talent, and this year she will deservedly be making history. A total of 120 young riders from more than 30 countries took part in the last Red Bull Rookies Cup entry trials, but only eight promising newcomers completed the quota of 26 riders for this season. Among them, only one is a woman, and she is from Malaga.
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Alejandra Fernández, 15, (she turns 16 in February), still remembers getting on her first minibike when she was only four years old. It didn't take long for her to inherit a passion for two wheels from her father, a motorbike fanatic, and from her brother Javi, who became Andalusian Pit Bikes champion. Eventually the progression of his sister, who was beginning to race in Spanish championships, was such that Javi chose to step aside and support her career, even serving as her mechanic.
At the age of six, Alejandra was already competing and winning championships in Andalucía. It was at the 110 in 2018 when she made the leap to the championships of Spain, becoming runner-up in 2020 and at the FIM miniGP 160, in 2023. All this as well as going through the Moto 4 with Cuna de Campeones. But it has not been all plain sailing.
In 2023 she went through one of the most difficult times in her career. Due to a lack of economic support, and the financial strain placed on her family, in a sport in which seasons can exceed 80,000 euros, the girl from Malaga hung up her overalls. Fortunately, it was only temporary.
"I was going to give up the sport because we didn't have the money to be able to go to all the races and my parents could no longer afford it. It was very hard, for me and my family. That's when we were contacted by the Angeluss team, which is an all-female team," she says.
The Italian team's proposal came to her as if it had fallen from the sky. Without it, she would not be here making history as the fourth ever female rider to enter the Red Bull Rookies Cup. This competition began in 2007, when Red Bull, Dorna Sports, KTM, Ipone and Alpinestars joined forces to create a tournament that would serve as a springboard for the rising stars. How? Giving the riders visibility with the idea that Moto3 teams could scout them and, above all, providing them with financial support, as it is RedBull that is responsible for the expenses during the races. RedBull has always prided itself on offering equal opportunities, which is why all the riders (between 14 and 18 years old) compete on the same bike, a KTM RC 250 R. In addition, the company advocates gender equality, so women are also welcome.
Of course, very few of them do make it. This makes the achievements of the Malaga local even more impressive, being only the second Spanish girl to enter the competition after Beatriz Neila from Madrid. Unfortunately, Neila suffered an accident in the initial test and could not compete. "This is already a World Championship. For anyone who wants to race motorcycles, this is the first big step they want to take, so I am very happy and excited. After so much sacrifice, we have arrived," explains Alejandra.
Although she's aware that this year she will be the only female participant in the championship, this is not an added pressure for her. It is the only reality she's known. "I don't care, to tell you the truth. I don't go around saying I'm the only one, nor do I feel special because of it. In fact, I prefer to race against the boys," says the 4th year secondary school student. However, although she is motivated by her achievement, she also recognises that she has had a hard time in the past for being the only girl competing in a male-dominated sport.
In fact, she recalls some incidents when her gender has been seen as a problem. "In 2020 I had several problems with a couple of riders. It seems that they found it very strange that a girl beat them. Even the Federation told me that I could report it, because they said things to me. We didn't report it, but we talked and everything changed after that."
That same year, the three of them competed for the championship, and she remembers that when she fell, the rival team made fun of her. "Karma meant that, the next race, the same thing happened to them," she recalls, jokingly. Although it was a one-off episode, the reality is that there are still traces of machismo, even among the youngest.
"Some don't like it; they say bad things. I prefer not to get involved and go about my own business. Many think, how can a girl beat them, but I think: If you can do it, why can't I?"
Alejandra is determined to make history. "There is a women's world championship, but I want to race in the men's categories. My dream, like that of every rider, is to reach MotoGP. One of my dreams was to get here and I think I'm on the right track, but I'm taking one step at a time."
This year, her calendar has eight races in store: Jerez, Le Mans (France), Aragon, Mugello (Italy), Sachsenring (Germany), Spielberg (Austria) and Misano (San Marino). And, being aware that she is one of the rookies, she has set herself manageable expectations.
"My goal is to improve race by race. I'm aware that there is a very high level in the cup, so my goal is to score points in the races. In the first few races we will be behind, which is normal, there are riders who have been here for three years and will be the contenders for the titles."
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