Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP’s Romain Febvre had a tough race to fifth in Qualifying for the Swiss round of the FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship at Frauenfeld as he had to surge through the pack.
The Frenchman had posted second-fastest time during Timed Practice but faced a long hard ride in the Qualifying race after a ragged start as he slewed sideways coming out of the gate to be seventeenth the first time past the timing box. Within two laps he had advanced into the top-ten and made yet more majestic strides to take over fourth on lap eleven before a fall in the late afternoon shadows cost three positions. A renewed charge brough him back to fifth, in the wheel tracks of the rider in fourth. Teams and riders now face a free day as the main GP program in Switzerland traditionally takes place on Easter Monday.
Romain Febvre: “I spun at the gate and I was completely last, but I rode well and had some good lines so I could make passes almost every lap to come back to fourth. But then I had a crash; it was only small but it could have been big at that place so I am lucky that I am not hurt. I came back and was close to fourth again at the finish. The gate-pick is OK for the starts on Monday but what I need are the points every race.”
Team Venum Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Francisco Garcia moved to within four points of the series lead in the European EMX250 Motocross Championship with a fighting third place in the opening race of the weekend. The Spaniard took a top-five start and worked his way forward to third on lap seven of sixteen. He was closing on the leaders until a slip four laps from the close lost him contact but could not prevent him taking the twenty championship points which see him go into Monday’s second race with a realistic chance of taking over the championship points lead. Bud teammate Jake Cannon ride a solid race to seventh from a top-ten start.
Photocredits Full Spectrum Media
