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Febvre Dominates in Lugo to Extend MXGP Championship Lead
Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP’s Romain Febvre extended his lead in the FIM Motocross World Championship to 49 points after claiming his second Grand Prix victory of the season at Lugo, Spain.
Following a rainy morning that left the track slick and technical, the sun emerged just in time for the opening moto. Febvre, riding with confidence after setting the fastest time in morning warm-up, nailed the holeshot and led from start to finish. Navigating the treacherous terrain with poise and control, the Frenchman pulled away with a commanding 10-second lead by the checkered flag.
In race two, Febvre grabbed another holeshot and looked poised for a repeat performance. However, on the second lap, he crashed on a downhill landing after a large table-top when a drying rut caught his front wheel. Dropping to seventh, Febvre mounted a determined charge, executing a series of bold passes to climb back to second. The comeback secured him the overall GP victory and further solidified his grip on the championship red plate.
Meanwhile, KRT teammate Pauls Jonass battled through two incident-filled races to secure ninth overall. The Latvian was caught in a first-turn crash in race one after hitting the banking but fought back to 12th within three laps and eventually crossed the line in 11th. In race two, a poor start left him 11th early on, but a determined charge brought him to sixth before a late tip-over in a tight right-hander dropped him to tenth.
Despite missing three rounds earlier this season, Jonass continues to strengthen his hold on 11th place in the championship standings.
Romain Febvre:
“It was great to take the holeshot in both motos—it makes life so much easier. In the first moto, I had good lines, could ride my own pace, and managed the race from the front. But I had to stay calm and focused; there were so many square-edge bumps hidden under the mud. In race two, I wanted to change my line on the downhill because it was very sketchy, but I jumped too far into the middle, missed the line, and crashed. It was hard to lift the bike there, and falling early always costs positions. I found good spots to pass and got back to second—it was a really good ride. I didn’t realize the overall win was still on until I saw the pitboard. I’m really happy to take the red plate to Ernée. The French GP is always special, and I hear the track has been nicely updated. Hopefully, we get good weather for the fans. I’ll have special gear from J1, and I’ve asked the Japanese team for something cool on the bike too.”
Pauls Jonass:
“I made life hard for myself today with the crash at the start of race one and some mistakes in race two. I came through quickly in the first moto but got arm pump after reaching 11th, so I just had to ride it out. In the second race, I pulled some strong passes to get to sixth, but I had a small crash with two laps to go. It’s disappointing, but the positives are there—I felt good on the bike all weekend. The speed is there, as I showed with P2 in Timed Practice. I’m confident I’ll be battling for podiums soon.”
