The opening round of the MXGP World Championship took place this weekend in Argentina on the new Bariloche circuit, and reigning champion Romain Febvre immediately showed he could be competitive from the start. The French rider finished second overall this weekend after finding solutions following the qualifying race.
“On Saturday, I didn’t get a good start,” explained Febvre as he reflected on his weekend. “I got some handlebar shake with the two riders next to me on the straight. I was lucky to be positioned on the inside of the gate because I was able to recover in the first corner and came back to fifth. I couldn’t do any better.”
Adjustments made on Sunday morning allowed the factory Kawasaki Racing Team rider to manage his starts much better. “We made a few changes on Sunday morning and I was able to get much better starts. In the first moto I came out of the gate third or fourth. I also got the holeshot in the second moto before it was stopped with a red flag. Then we restarted and I was just behind Tom Vialle. My starts were much better.”
The Frenchman also noted a better race pace in the second moto, although he still feels there is more to improve. “I also had a bit more pace in the second moto. Obviously, that’s one of the advantages of riding at the front, so it was easier for me in that second race. But I didn’t really feel like myself. I know I still need to work a bit more with the bike.”
The presence of Jeffrey Herlings right behind the French rider made the second moto even more intense. Just as he had done with Vialle earlier in the race, the Dutchman raised the pace in the closing minutes to close the gap.
“Jeffrey was really on form. Last weekend in the sand at Lierop he already was, and I wasn’t far from winning there. Now I have a rider in my sights. I need to be able to hold it for the entire moto and all the way to the end. But it’s only the start of the championship, the season will be long. It’s good to start with a podium. That was my objective for this weekend. I achieved it, and in the right way. I’m satisfied.”
After holding a seven-second lead at the halfway point, Febvre saw Herlings close right onto his rear wheel within the space of five laps and was unable to hold off the Team HRC rider.
“Of course I want to win. I was in a position to win in the second moto. Until the last ten minutes of the race I didn’t see Jeffrey behind me. I thought it was Tom. I also thought I had a big gap to the riders behind me, so I told myself it was going to be enough. Then suddenly, with five or six laps to go, I looked back and saw Jeffrey was there. I did one good lap and kept the gap, but then I broke my roll-off during an exchange with a lapped rider. The following lap he really gained time on me.”
The Frenchman concluded by highlighting how difficult it is to defend against the Dutch rider, known for his late-race charges.
“I knew that once he was on my rear wheel it would be difficult to defend. In fact, I was much more in defence mode than attack mode. Jeffrey was simply better in that moto.”
Just like in 2024 and 2025, Febvre begins his Grand Prix season in Argentina with a second-place finish. A positive note before heading to Almonte in two weeks’ time for round two of the championship.
