Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP’s Romain Febvre retained the FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship red plate after sharing top honours in the unrelenting sand of Lommel in the Flanders region of northern Belgium.

The choice of the inside gate was the key to success in the opening moto as he rode a textbook Febvre tight line, drifting through the inside of the first 180 degree turn to claim a clear holeshot and control the race from the front. He immediately opened up a three-second gap over the chasers before settling down to a sustainable pace for the thirty-five minute race around the most unrelenting track in the sport. The Kawasaki leader’s main rival for the title was soon second and there ensued a high speed battle of cat-and-mouse which would take them more than half-a-minute clear of the remainder of the world elite. An outrageous leap on the jump into pit straight at the end of lap twelve of seventeen saw a temporary change of lead but Febvre reacted at the first opportunity to dive under his rival with determination in a sweeping turn and immediately push the limits as the duo each defied the rugged track and dropped their lap times even further. Such was the pace set by the man in Green that his chaser nearly came to grief halfway round the final lap in his attempt to stay in touch and Febvre had time on the run-in to the chequered flag to salute the KRT box as he swept to a big win by seventeen seconds. A clever first turn again saw the Kawasaki emerge in the top-three in race two and Febvre swept into second at turn three to stalk the leader before moving to the front as the race approached half-distance. After leading for three laps line-choice at the back of the track cost the Kawasaki rider the lead and, despite maintaining his pace, he eventually settled for a share of the top points on the day and thus retained the red plate with a nine-point advantage as the championship heads into the final quarter of the series.

Romain Febvre: “I knew Lucas would try everything here, but I also know I can win when I get a good start like in race one. He passed me once but I attacked back straight away. It was important to react immediately, pass him back and break his rhythm as soon as possible. He tried again on the last lap but I guess he made a mistake as suddenly he was no longer there. I knew Lucas was there again in the second moto but I didn’t manage to change my lines; he was faster than me in two places but I couldn’t figure out where he was going. I tried to follow him when he passed but he made a gap straight away and I had to let him go. I managed my weekend well and only dropped one point; I like the remaining tracks on the schedule and stay confident.”

Antti Pyrhönen (KRT team manager): “It was another great weekend for Romain; he was very strong, won the first moto and had a big battle in the second. Lommel is always tough; it is so heavy technically and physically and even before the second moto you do not know if you will have the energy. We still have the red plate and we keep fighting.”

Photocredits – Pascal Haudiquert