Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Romain Febvre was close to his first moto victory of the year last Sunday and the first since the final round of the 2020 campaign but was beaten by World Champion Tim Gajser on the last lap of the British Grand Prix. The entertaining duel was decided in the final minutes as Gajser was able to use a more effective line through the uphill section and the closing part of the first sector at MatterleyBasin.
Gajser won by 1.4 seconds to claim three from the four MXGP motos in 2021 so far. Febvre, who had front most of the race after taking 7th in the opening chase, lamented the late relegation and said it was outwitted by his Slovenian rival.
“To be beat on the last lap is the worst. Not much else to say,” the Frenchman mustered. “I was trying to figure out where he was going. I knew he was catching me in that first sector of the lap but I couldn’t figure out exactly where. I tried changing my line but he was still gaining. After the race we figured out he was going far to the outside. I just didn’t find the line.”
Gajser, for his part, described the battle as “fun”. Febvre has a chequered history with Matterley. He won his first MXGP moto and finished on the podium at the English site in 2015 on the way to his world championship but crashed while tussling with Gajser in 2016. He suffered a concussion that effectively rerailed his title defence. In 2020 he was forced to pull-out of the Grand Prix due to a knee problem. Febvrefinished 4th overall and missed the podium by two points at the 2021 edition and is currently 3rd in the standings.
Article: Adam Wheeler
Image: Nigel McKinstry