Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP’s Romain Febvre finished third in a muddy Qualifying for the fifth round of the FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship at Agueda in Portugal.
The Frenchman needed less than a lap to storm from sixth to third in extremely muddy conditions. Setting the fastest early laps of the race he also closed down the championship rival ahead of him before losing contact as they encountered lappers during the final few laps; such was the dominance of the front-three that they established a lead of more than a minute over fourth. Further rainfall is forecast for the region during tomorrow’s GP motos.
Romain Febvre: “The conditions were tough as it had been raining most of the afternoon and we could hardly make some of the jumps in Qualifying; it’s a shame because the track was really good this morning. I made a good start but I made a mistake through the long long second turn and that cost me a few positions. I managed to come back to third already on the first lap and I tried to find some lines to pass Jeffrey; I felt sure I could pass him but then I made a couple of mistakes and lost contact to him in the last couple of laps. We believe the weather will be the same tomorrow so the start will be very important.”
KRT teammate Jeremy Seewer had a frustrating race. Sandwiched by his gate rivals off the start the Swiss had no opportunity to settle and eventually finished seventeenth.
The Bike It Kawasaki MX2 Racing Team duo of Jack Chambers and Bobby Bruce had little joy in the even muddier MX2 Qualifying. Early incidents left the American outside the top-twenty but he persevered admirably to advance to thirteenth as he set the fastest laps of the entire field throughout the closing laps. His English teammate, still nursing the after-effects of a wrist injury, held a solid thirteenth through the early stages before withdrawing from the race after gradually losing positions. Fellow Kawasaki rider Quentin Marc Prugnières stayed on two wheels in the difficult conditions to qualify seventh.
Jack Chambers: “I raced in pretty similar conditions last week in England so I knew before the start that it was going to be tough – it was a matter of survival, hopefully with a good start and staying off the ground. But unfortunately I fell already on the first lap and had to come through the pack. It’s a pity about the weather as I raced here last year so I knew the track and immediately felt comfortable in the dry to post sixth-best time in Free Practice this morning.”
