Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP’s Romain Febvre qualified second for the Chinese round of the FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship at the Shanghai International Off-road Circuit.
The Frenchman put his second-choice of gate from Timed Practice to good effect with a clear holeshot in the Qualifying race to head the pack through turn one before surrendering the lead after half a lap when he lost momentum in a loose turn as the berm collapsed. Quickly regaining his composure he stuck to the task as the two leaders raced clear; matching each other’s pace the top-two in the world spent the entire race tied together, eventually taking the chequered flag twenty seconds clear of third.
Romain Febvre: “I felt really good today. For once I got the start too but I knew Jeffrey would push me straight away. I went outside in a turn halfway round the lap; I hadn’t checked that line on the sighting lap and the berm was completely broken. After that I was on his rear wheel all race so I hope for two more good starts again tomorrow; then I can battle for the win.”
Pauls Jonass joined his KRT teammate in the top-three of Timed Practice and also raced into turn one at the front, only to fall after being tagged from inside. The Latvian spent the remainder of the race charging back for an eventual ninth.
Pauls Jonass: “I showed in Timed Practice that I have the speed and I took a really good start but I just threw it away. I’m disappointed because I could have had a good result. I just have to hope I can get good starts tomorrow from P9 and stay on two wheels because the track is so one-line that it’s very difficult to pass.”
DRT Kawasaki’s Kay Karssemakers raced to his ninth top-ten Qualifying result of the season in the FIM World MX2 Motocross Championship with a hard charge from eleventh to seventh, headed at the finish only by six full factory bikes.
Kay Karssemakers: “My start wasn’t the best and it was pretty hectic in the first corner but I could already make some good passes on the first lap and fought to the end for P7. It wasn’t easy to pass but it’s the same for everyone and I found some lines.”
