Katja Poensgen

Katja Poensgen (born 23 September 1976), is a German former professional motorcycle racer.[1][2] She was the first female competitor to qualify for a 250cc Grand Prix race.[3] In 2011, Poensgen was named an FIM Legend for her pioneering Grand Prix racing career.[4]

Katja Poensgen
NationalityGerman
Born (1976-09-23) 23 September 1976
Mindelheim, West Germany
Bike number65
Motorcycle racing career statistics
250cc World Championship
Active years2001 and 2003
ManufacturersAprilia, Honda
2003 championship positionNC (0 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
24 0 0 0 0 2
Supersport World Championship
Active years1998
ManufacturersSuzuki
1998 championship positionNC (0 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
1 0 0 0 0 0

Motorcycle racing career

Poensgen was born in Mindelheim, Germany as the daughter of the German importer for Suzuki motorcycles.[5][6] She began riding motorcycles at the age of four.[7] She started her motorcycle racing career in 1993 competing in the ADAC Junior Cup. In 1995 Poensgen rode a Suzuki RGV250 to become the first woman to win the Junior Cup in Germany.[5][6] That same year, she won the European Supermono championship riding a Suzuki DR650.[5] In 1996 she competed in the German 125cc Championship.[6] The next year she moved to German Supersport Championship.

In 1998 Poensgen made her world championship debut when she took part in the German round of the Supersport World Championship at the Nürburgring circuit. She rode a Suzuki GSX-R600 to a 20th place finish.[2] In 1999 Poensgen began competing in the European Superstock 1000 Championship with a Suzuki GSX 750 R. In 2000 she rode for the Alstare Corona Suzuki Team in the same championship, finishing the season ranked sixth.[2] She also set the fastest lap time twice and scored a second place result at the Misano Adriatico race circuit.[2][8]

In 2001 Poensgen moved to the 250cc class in Grand Prix motorcycle racing.[1] She became the third female competitor in Grand Prix motorcycle racing history after Taru Rinne and Tomoko Igata.[6] She began the season riding an Aprilia RSV 250 but, changed motorcycles mid-season to a Honda RS250R.[9] On April 8, 2001, Poensgen became the first female competitor to qualify for a 250cc Grand Prix race at the 2001 Japanese Grand Prix.[3] In 2002 she competed in German Superstock 1000. In 2003 she came back to Gran Prix motorcycle racing, without scoring points.[1]

In 2004, she worked as a commentator on German television.[10]

Career statistics

Races by year

Year Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pos. Pts
1998 Suzuki GBR ITA SPA GER
20
ITA ZAF USA GBR AUT NED 0

By season

Season Class Motorcycle Team Race Win Pod Pole FLap Pts Pos
2001 250cc Aprilia Dark Dog Racing Factory 14 0 0 0 0 2 30th
Honda Shell Advance Honda
2003 250cc Honda Dark Dog Molenaar 10 0 0 0 0 0 NC
Total 24 0 0 0 0 2

Races by year

(key)

Year Class Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Pos. Pts
2001 250cc Aprilia JPN
22
RSA
24
SPA
23
FRA
DNS
ITA
14
CAT
26
NED
Ret
GBR
23
GER
20
CZE 30th 2
Honda POR
20
VAL
24
PAC
26
AUS
19
MAL
Ret
BRA
26
2003 250cc Honda JPN
20
RSA
Ret
SPA
DNQ
FRA
DNQ
ITA
DNQ
CAT
17
NED
18
GBR
19
GER
18
CZE
20
POR
Ret
BRA
DNS
PAC MAL
17
AUS
Ret
VAL NC 0

References

  1. "Katja Poensgen MotoGP statistics". motogp.com. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  2. "Katja Poensgen World Superbike statistics". worldsbk.com. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  3. "Katja Poensgen makes history". crash.net. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  4. "FIM Legends". fim-live.com. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  5. A Girl in the GPs, Cycle World Magazine, September 2001, Vol. 40, No. 1-7, ISSN 0011-4286
  6. "Female GP rider pussyfoots through 250 GP". iol.co.za. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  7. Catron, Derek. "She Races with the Big Boys". orlandosentinel.com. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  8. "FIM European Superstock 1000 Cup at Misano Adriatico" (PDF). Worldsbk.com. Dorna. 18 June 2000. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  9. "Katja Poensgen officially presented by Shell Advance Honda". motogp.com. Dorna. 3 September 2001. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  10. Santos, Jesús Sánchez (15 September 2020). "Katja Poensgen and women's motorcycling". MOTOSAN. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
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