Frenchman Romain Febvre heads to the final two rounds of the 2021 FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship with the red plate of the series leader mounted on his Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team KX450-SR.
With just three points separating the top three in the MXGP championship headed into the final three rounds the atmosphere for the third GP in eight days at the Pietramurata switchback in the shadow of the Italian Dolomites was electric already before racing.
Setting fourth-fastest time in qualifying, it was the perfect scenario for Febvre as he could carefully choose a gate away from the potential bar-banging of his rivals to ensure a clean sweep through the first two turns.
He emerged safely in sixth place, sandwiched between his title rivals, Dutchman Jeremy Herlings and Slovenian defending world champion Tim Gajser (Honda) and behind a quartet of quick starters.
Each of the title candidates was clearly aware that a single error could prove costly as they stalked each other initially but 10 minutes into the race it was Febvre who started the first assault; after trading places half-a-dozen times with the rival ahead of him, he finally made the pass stick and immediately raced clear, leaving the other championship chasers to get in each others’ hair.
Within a couple of laps, the Kawasaki rider was putting others riders between himself and his rivals and, having moved second at half-distance, he built a 12-second advantage before either of them could command third. The race-long leader was still several seconds clear but the Frenchman edged closer and with a lap to go had the leader, and another potential three-point gain, in his sights.
Frenchman Romain Febvre (left) and Dutchman Jeffery Herlings congratulate one another. The series leader’s red number plate will now go from Herlings to Febvre with just two rounds remaining. Photo courtesy Kawasaki Europe
Now holding a safe 22-second advantage over third, the man in Green threw caution to the wind but, pitched sideways on a rutted take-off, was cast into the trackside fence.
The incident ended any hopes of the moto win but didn’t cost any points as he had plenty of time to pick himself up and still finish a secure second, behind Swiss rider Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha).
A switch of gate for race two backfired and Febvre was boxed in at the start to leave turn two way outside the top 10, but an inspired opening lap saw him advance to sixth and he maintained the momentum in a hard-fought leader-board to finally make third secure after eight turbulent laps.
Gajser won race two, ahead of Seewer.
The riders still ahead of him had already taken advantage of a clear track to escape so, secure in the knowledge that he would take the red plate of the series points leader to the penultimate round next weekend, he sensibly settled for third.
With two GPs remaining, next Sunday and then the following Wednesday at Mantova, 135 kilometres away, just three points separate the top three in the championship … with the Kawasaki man in the driving seat.
“We worked on the start again this week and the first moto was good, but not the second,” Febvre explained.
“But I was feeling really good today and could make some nice passes to come to second in the first moto. Jeremy was riding really well in front but with two laps to go I saw that I was catching him; we had a gap so I knew that if I made a mistake I could still be second.
“Unfortunately I had quite a big crash but it didn’t affect me; I went down hard but luckily I don’t even have scratches. My start was not so good in the second moto and I was a long way back but I passed something like eight guys on the first lap, worked my way to third and came close to Jeremy when he made a mistake.
“Then I started thinking too much – do I go for the GP or settle for the red plate? – and in the end I lost my pace. It feels good to take the red plate with two to go. I don’t feel any pressure; I always take everything as it comes.
“It is several years since I have been in this position and we are so close; again just three points for three riders. It’s good to be where I am but in the end one of us will be champion and two will be disappointed. If I crash, then I crash but for sure I will give my best and let us hope it is enough. I can smell the taste of the championship!”
Meanwhile, Kiwi friend Wilson Todd, racing for the Bike It MTX Kawasaki team, has moved to within three points of a top-10 ranking in the FIM World MX2 Motocross Championship with two hard-charging rides to fifth overall at Pietramurata.
The Australian set himself up for a sparkling day after a solid seventh-fastest time in qualifying by twice gating inside the top 10 and in both motos he showed his talent with smart decisive moves to make passes stick.
New Zealanders will fondly remember Todd when he raced at Woodville and in the New Zealand Motocross Championships in 2019.
It is interesting to note that Todd finished sixth overall in the MX2 class at the NZ nationals that season, behind Auckland’s Hamish Harwood, Taupo’s Wyatt Chase, Mangakino’s Maximus Purvis, fellow Australian Morgan Fogarty and Taupo’s Brad Groombridge.
Photo courtesy Kawasaki Europe
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STANDINGS AFTER 16 OF 18 ROUNDS:
MXGP – Grand Prix Race 1 – Top 10 Classification:
1. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), 34:54.904; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:20.318; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:27.360; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:29.230; 5. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:30.180; 6. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Yamaha), +0:37.870; 7. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), +0:41.135; 8. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, KTM), +0:41.686; 9. Dylan Wright (CAN, Honda), +0:43.219; 10. Ben Watson (GBR, Yamaha), +0:47.272.
MXGP – Grand Prix Race 2 – Top 10 Classification:
1. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 35:09.036; 2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:05.961; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:18.063; 4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:32.493; 5. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:33.320; 6. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), +0:36.170; 7. Ben Watson (GBR, Yamaha), +0:37.186; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Yamaha), +0:40.688; 9. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Honda), +0:42.504; 10. Dylan Wright (CAN, Honda), +0:43.832.
MXGP – GP Top 10 Classification:
1. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 47 points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 43 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 42 p.; 4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 38 p.; 5. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 32 p.; 6. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 29 p.; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 28 p.; 8. Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 25 p.; 9. Dylan Wright (CAN, HON), 23 p.; 10. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, KTM), 21 p.
MXGP – World Championship Top 10 Classification:
1. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 614 points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 613 p.; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 611 p.; 4. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 502 p.; 5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 498 p.; 6. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 496 p.; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 397 p.; 8. Pauls Jonass (LAT, GAS), 391 p.; 9. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, KTM), 287 p.; 10. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 284 p.
MX2 – Grand Prix Race 1 – Top 10 Classification:
1. Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 33:39.546; 2. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:04.966; 3. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:10.001; 4. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), +0:13.972; 5. Jed Beaton (AUS, Husqvarna), +0:15.149; 6. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), +0:15.904; 7. Wilson Todd (AUS, Kawasaki), +0:18.099; 8. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:24.633; 9. Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), +0:25.344; 10. Andrea Adamo (ITA, GASGAS), +0:29.459.
MX2 – Grand Prix Race 2 – Top 10 Classification:
1. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), 33:51.075; 2. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), +0:03.105; 3. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:05.221; 4. Wilson Todd (AUS, Kawasaki), +0:08.086; 5. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, Kawasaki), +0:09.052; 6. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:09.683; 7. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), +0:11.294; 8. Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), +0:28.717; 9. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), +0:31.488; 10. Andrea Adamo (ITA, GASGAS), +0:33.618.
MX2 – GP Top 10 Classification:
1. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 47 points; 2. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 40 p.; 3. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 40 p.; 4. Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 38 p.; 5. Wilson Todd (AUS, KAW), 32 p.; 6. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 29 p.; 7. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 28 p.; 8. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, KAW), 23 p.; 9. Jed Beaton (AUS, HUS), 23 p.; 10. Andrea Adamo (ITA, GAS), 22 p.
MX2 – World Championship Top 10 Classification:
1. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 642 points; 2. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 532 p.; 3. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 516 p.; 4. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), 487 p.; 5. Jed Beaton (AUS, HUS), 477 p.; 6. Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 474 p.; 7. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 413 p.; 8. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 412 p.; 9. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 404 p.; 10. Simon Längenfelder (GER, GAS), 291 p.