Francisca 'Pakita' Ruiz Vidal (born 18 August 1997) is a Spanish motorcycle racer currently competing in the FIM Women's Circuit Racing World Championship (WorldWCR). She is seven times the Spanish ESBK Women's 600cc champion.
Biography Ruiz was born on 18 August 1997 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Her love of motorcycles was inspired by her grandfather.
Racing career Starting racing at only eight years old, Ruiz competed in minicross and supermoto, finishing second and third respectively in the Balearic Islands Championships.
In 2010. Ruiz decided to concentrate on road racing, competing in the open 80cc class of the Balearic Islands Championship, finishing the season third. The following year, she won the championship. She dedicated the win to Nofré Quijada, her friend who had been killed in a motorcycle accident a few months previously.
A lack of sponsorship for 2012 forced Ruiz to drop down to the 70cc scooter class, finishing the season in fourth position. She did receive partial sponsorship to compete in three rounds of the Cuna de Campeones Bankia in Catalonia where she achieved podium finishes. In 2013, she finished second in the Balearic Scooter Championship.
Without a sponsor for 2014, Ruiz produced a calendar featuring herself. Sale of the calendar enabled her to compete on a pit bike, finishing the season in seventh overall. At the end of 2014, Ruiz was on the verge of retiring due to lack of sponsorship when she saw an announcement for the 1st Spanish Women's Speed Cup, which was to take place in October 2015 at the Circuito de Navarra.
Ruiz produced a 2015 calendar to raise funds to compete in the Women's Speed Cup. She also found a local garage that would lend her a bike to compete in the Balearic Open 600 Championship in preparation for the Women's Speed Cup. She won the Balearic Championship. At the Women's Speed Cup, she obtained pole, set the fastest lap and won the first race. She was on pole for the second race and finished second. This was enough to be crowned the inaugural Spanish Women's Champion.
In March 2016, Ruiz signed with Champi Herreros to ride in his all-female project, Champi Women Racing, racing in the (Spanish Superbike Championship) Open 600 class and Women's Speed Cup. The Women's cup was run over three events at Jerez, Alcarràs and Navarra. Ruiz won the cup for the second year running. Due to clashes with the Women's Speed Cup, Ruiz missed two rounds of the Open 600 class and finished the season 17th.
In 2017, Ruiz continued to ride for Champi Women Racing and won the Spanish Women's Championship for the third time, winning four out of the five races in the series. Her fourth championship was won in 2018. Further Women's Championships followed in 2019, 2020 and 2022.
Ruiz won the inaugural Spanish Yamaha R6 Cup in 2020.
WorldWCR In 2024, Ruiz was selected to compete in the inaugural FIM Women's Circuit Racing World Championship. Over forty riders had applied for inclusion in the 24 slot grid. She was one of the five Spanish riders selected. She finished the season 6th overall. Continuing in the series in 2025, she finished seventh.
'100 Emocions' Motorcycle School In 2025, Ruiz started running a motorcycle school for youngsters in her native Mallorca in conjunction with the 100 Emocions Esport Club.
Racing results WorldWCR (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos Pts Refs Yamaha YZF-R7 MIS1 MIS2 DON1 DON2 ARG1 ARG2 CRE1 CRE2 EST1 EST1 JER1 JER2 6th 112 Yamaha YZF-R7 ASS1 ASS2 CRE1 CRE2 DON1 DON2 BAL1 BAL2 MAG1 MAG2 JER1 JER2 7th 101 Yamaha YZF-R7 POR1 POR1 ASS1 ASS2 BAL1 BAL2 MIS1 MIS2 DON1 DON2 JER1 JER2 7th 73*
Season still in progress
References