Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP’s Romain Febvre moved closer to the points-lead in the FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship at Frauenfeld in Switzerland with his fourth consecutive podium.
The Frenchman was closed down straight out of the gate in both GP motos but displayed true grit, racing through the pack each time to secure sixth- and second-placed moto finishes; his thirty-seven point haul earnt second overall on the day and, retaining his secure second place in the championship, he has significantly reduced the points-gap to the series leader to just twenty-seven points. He emerged ninth from turn one in the first moto but had already advanced to sixth on lap two. Overtaking proved extremely difficult for all of the riders on the ultra-fast raceway and a small tumble on the exit from a slick turn pushed him back to eighth temporarily before the Kawasaki rider struck back with great resolve to regain sixth with two outstanding passes. Lapping more than a second per lap faster than his rivals through the closing laps he had fourth in his sights on the final lap as time ran out to make further moves. He was again quickly on the move from an eighth-placed start in race two to take fifth on lap four and was soon involved in a three-way battle for third, which he decided in his favour on lap fourteen of twenty after two more enthralling passes. Three laps later he had closed down his next target to sweep into second, the position he held to the finish behind the race-long leader.
Romain Febvre: “I was again fast and felt good both days but it was a track where you needed to take a good start as it was tough to pass. I was riding good but with starts like today it’s not enough to fight for the victory. I think I was one of the few guys who could make passes but it was also a track where you had to really take care. You could make a huge mistake if you lost it for a split-second and many riders crashed, particularly in the second moto; I almost hit Guillod’s bike when he had a big one right in front of me and there were a lot of rocks as you can see by my nose. For sure I was pleased to take another podium but I want one more step!”
Photocredits Full Spectrum Media
