Karolina Danak (WorldWCR): "I made it here after only two years. Here is my story"

In the FIM Women's Circuit Racing World Championship, better known as WorldWCR, there are riders who already have considerable experience, and riders who have been racing motorcycles only for a few years. To the latter category belongs the rider featured in this interview: Karolina Danak.

Born in 2008, Danak experienced her first racing season only in 2025, as she took part in the Spanish Yamaha R7 Cup. Despite her very limited experience, the Polish rider achieved several top 10 finishes and also stood out in other series she competed in during the year. And, actually, she is already showed promising racing on the world stage as well: after three rounds and six races, Danak already boasts four points finishes (in the remaining two races she crashed, but fortunately without consequences) and they include also a top 10 finish in Race 1 at Assen. She may lack experience, but she certainly does not lack potential, nor the desire to grow together with the Yamaha AD78 FIMLA team.

In a season that also sees her competing in the CIV and the Women’s European Championship with Prata Motorsport, Palmen in Motorradsport decided to interview Karolina Danak and learn more about her story.

Karolina, this is your first season in the WorldWCR. How was the start of your campaign?

It started more or less well. The first race in Portimão was a bit difficult, but in the end we scored our first points, which is not bad. After that I scored points again (8th in Assen and 12th at Balaton Park, both times in Race 1, ed). We are moving in the right direction.

And what are goals your goals for 2026?

I want to be as close to the top as possible and learn from the fastest girls. I would be happy to reach the top 5 and, in the long term, to win. I believe that step by step we will get there.

This is actually your second season as a motorcycle racer. Could you talk about about your first one, in 2025?

It was my very first racing season and I competed in the Spanish Yamaha R7 Cup, using the same bike as in the world championship. I learned how to ride this bike as well as possible, how races develop, how to fight in a group and so on. It went quite well, because we finished in the overall top 10 and I was first in the Rookie category.

How did you prepare for the move to the World Championship?

It's a big step forward and the level is very high, even higher than before. The girls here are very fast and while it is difficult to stand out, it's also better for me, because I can learn a lot. During the winter, without races, we worked hard on every detail to be 100% ready. I always want to stay positive and optimistic: we will get there.

Where do you feel you still need to improve, in particular?

I need to work on my corner speed. I train a lot on go-kart tracks to become faster at changing direction, but I still need to improve in the middle of the corner and, to do that, I should train more on big circuits like the other riders. I also lack the experience they have, especially in close battles. Everything is still a bit new for me.

How did your racing career start?

As a child, I did acrobatic gymnastics and then I moved to horse riding. I competed in show jumping, where I was among the best in Poland. In 2023, however, we had to sell our horses. After that, I wanted to try a new sport with more adrenaline and, let’s say, more danger. And I have always liked motorcycles.

My father had one motorbike when I was little, and we used to travel together through Poland. He only used it on the road, but I immediately wanted to race on track. So, in 2023 we did our first races in Poland with pocket bikes, and in 2024 we moved to the Kawasaki 400. That year I did very little, because I soon suffered an arm fracture and my season ended there. At the end of 2024, we started training in Spain, with small bikes and in some schools. I trained almost every day, also with Paco Marmol (former mentor and coach of Pedro Acosta, ed).

In Spain, the level is very high and there I really learned a lot. So in 2025, as I said, I did my first full racing year, competing in the R7 Cup and also on a 600cc bike in the Copa de España. Then, I started training with Artur from Just Ride Pro, my current coach, and thanks to him and my team (AD78 FIMLA, ed) I reached the world championship.

And you got there very quickly. Did you expect it?

In the middle of 2025, we started thinking about it. The idea was to race again in Spain in 2026 and then reach the world championship in 2027. In the end, however, we decided to enter already in 2026 because I didn't want to wait: I wanted to get here and learn right away.

How does it feel to represent Poland, a country with few riders at this level?

I really like it. We are two Polish riders here, me and Patrycja Sowa, and I feel we can do something new for our country. We can open doors and show that we can also compete at a high level. I hope that, in the coming years, there will be more Polish riders at this level.

What's your goal for you career?

I want to win the WorldWCR and then move to Supersport and Moto2. And, finally, I want to reach MotoGP.

Who is your favorite rider?

Marc Márquez. I like him both as a rider and as a person. I also had the chance to talk to him at the Aspar Circuit, during a training day, and it was very nice.

Besides motorcycling, do you like other sports?

Right now, only motorcycle racing. I also train in the gym and do running, cycling and swimming, which help me be fully prepared for my races.

In conclusion, the "Thank You Moment": would you like to thank anyone in particular?

Yes. Especially my mother, because she has always supported me, and also my father and my whole family in Poland. I also thank my coach Artur and the AD78 team for their work. I hope we will go far.

Palmen in Motorradsport thanks Karolina Danak for her availability. Best wishes to her and her team for the upcoming races and seasons.