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Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP’s Romain Febvre Edges Closer to World Title in China
Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP’s Romain Febvre took another major step toward securing his second FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship title with two smart, tactical rides at Shanghai, China. The Frenchman now needs just fourteen points at the final round in Darwin, Northern Australia, next weekend to clinch Kawasaki’s first-ever world title in the premier off-road series.
Challenging heat and a tight, rain-soaked circuit made conditions demanding for riders, with strategy proving crucial. In race one, Febvre dropped to seventh on the opening lap but quickly regrouped, climbing to fourth by mid-race and holding the position to extend his series lead to 36 points. In race two, his title rival crashed early, allowing Febvre to ride a measured race. He crossed the line in fourth once again, narrowly missing the podium but extending his championship advantage to 47 points heading into the finale.
Romain Febvre:
"This was one of the toughest GPs of the year and today feels like a win. I don’t care about missing the podium—the championship is what matters. In race one I didn’t push too hard in the heat, knowing Lucas was behind me. In race two, when he went down early, I focused on staying consistent and avoiding mistakes. Fourth place was enough to keep the big picture in sight."
Teammate Pauls Jonass also impressed with strong pace in both motos. The Latvian held fourth for much of the opening race before a small mistake dropped him to sixth. In race two, he again started well but fell in a muddy corner and was forced to charge back from last to twelfth, securing ninth overall. Despite missing half the season through injury, Jonass has now climbed to fifteenth in the championship standings.
Pauls Jonass:
"It was tough with the heat, but there were many positives. I had two good starts and showed the speed is there—I just need to stay upright. In race one I was running fourth until a small tip-over, and in race two I crashed early but came back through the pack."
