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Disappointment for Romain Febvre in Finland
Crashes in each moto cost Romain Febvre and Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP their anticipated podium finish in the Finnish round of the FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship at Hyvinkää.
The Frenchman had dominated Qualifying on Saturday and was widely tipped to continue this success on race day. The anticipation was intensified in the first GP moto as the KX450SR secured a clear holeshot and once again started to move clear of the pack, but a bobble at the end of the waves on lap two saw him surrender the lead. Quickly regaining his composure and momentum, Febvre shadowed the new leader for the next four laps before two mistakes in the space of a few corners thrust him back to sixth. At the finish he had regained fifth, in the wheeltracks of fourth. Another superb start in race two saw Febvre immediately second but, lining up a pass for the lead already on the opening lap, a deeply-rutted take-off saw the Kawasaki rider launch into the side of his rival and the resultant fall cost 12 seconds and a host of placing’s. Battered and shaken, he recovered to eighth at the finish for seventh overall.
Romain Febvre: “Of course I’m not satisfied with my races today, even if I got a good start both times. In the first race I made a small mistake when I was leading and Bogers passed me; then I tried to pass him back but I made another mistake and crashed. I was still second when I got back on the bike but as Gajser was coming close I pushed too hard and made another mistake. This crash was stupid; if I had taken my time instead of pushing maybe I could even have taken the victory as I had good speed. I finished fifth, but I had used up a lot of energy with two crashes. My second start was again a good one and I tried to pass Coldenhoff for the lead but he closed the door after a jump and I had nowhere to go so I crashed. I was then around 12th and came back to eighth, but it was not easy riding in the pack. I have the speed and I got good starts; we’ll try to finally get the podium we deserve in France next weekend."
KRT teammate Ben Watson finished 17th overall to retain his 12th place in the series standings. The English rider had been involved in the intense lower leaderboard throughout the first race as his placing fluctuated between 16th and 14th. He never found his usual rhythm in race two after starting 14th and eventually finished 18th.
F&H Kawasaki Racing Team’s Jed Beaton had a difficult race to 19th from his outside gate-pick in race one but displayed his fighting spirit in race two as he pushed relentlessly forward from an initial 18th to secure 14th at the finish for 16th overall on the day. He is now 18th in the series standings.