Katja Poensgen’s place in 250cc Grand Prix history rests on a precise result: 14th at Mugello in the 2001 Italian round. MotoGP’s rider archive identifies her as the first woman to score world championship points in the class. She finished that season with two points and 30th place in the standings.
The road there began much earlier. Poensgen’s father raced motocross and enduro, and she decided to pursue racing after attending the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim when she was nine. As a teenager she started with a 125cc motorcycle and later became the first woman to win a German Junior Cup. The German 125cc championship, European Supersport and Superstock followed.
Poensgen raced in the world championship’s 250cc category in 2001 and 2003, making 25 starts in total. The record shows no wins or podiums, yet the Mugello finish remains significant: it turned years of progress through racing classes into the first points entry for a woman in this category. Her career is a reminder that racing history is also written beyond the podium.