We spoke to Romain Febvre after his brilliant performance at Lommel that saw him win a crucial moto one at Lommel in a pulsating head-to-head battle with championship rival and home hero, Lucas Coenen.
Watch or read below:
Roman Febvre, I know you didn’t know if it was your best performance there on the press conference, but it was at least one of your best, that first moto, especially under the pressure of the championship, that mistake and lock it in the first moto when you come back, hit back with two wins. It’s like a moto there on the first moto here. That was mentally really impressive, but also the skill-wise, so impressive in the sound. What are your thoughts on the last really two moto?
Yeah, yeah, I’m pretty consistent, which is good, but yeah, this weekend, I mean today, I took a good start, which is really what I need to battle on the front, so that was a positive thing. And yeah, normally my skill in the sand, it’s pretty good, so I wasn’t really worried about the race, but just to get a good start, and it’s what I did, but at the last the last few races I lost a lot of points because I didn’t get a start. Every time I got the start, and I could win, almost win the race every time, so that’s what I know, what we have to work on. But it’s still some races to go, so not really worried about the championship, but just to get consistent start.
Were you more motivated to come into this weekend, because I think a lot of people thought Lucas in the sand, it was his GP to win, but you fought the whole way, was that because of the points loss in Loket as well?
I’m just motivated, I don’t need to do anything special to motivate me, and yeah, I ride, like I say, I wasn’t really worried about my riding in sand, so yeah, nothing to say. We’ll see, we have some different tracks also now, some hardpack track in Sweden, and then again back in the sand for Arnhem, so we’ll see.
Both motos, you were battling Lucas there, the points are so close in the championship, it was really just, not just for the race win, but obviously for the points in the championship, are you able to enjoy that battle, or is it so intense that you can’t really?
Yeah, because like I said, the championship is still far to go, so I don’t really, when I’m riding, I don’t really think about any championship or something else, so it’s why also I can ride, let’s say, that good, and I can battle, so I’m really not worried, and yeah, like I just believe if something should happen, it will happen, and I try my best, and see.
I think it was 10 years ago you won your first World Championship, that’s now decade since, and you’re still right at the mix for yet another world title, do you feel proud of yourself, just like 10 year career in motocross is long, and you’ve extended beyond that, and you’re still on the verge of a world title, are you proud that you’ve been able to beat so fast for so many years?
Yeah, sure, I’m happy to fight at that level for so many years, I mean it’s what I’m working on almost every year, every day, so yeah, I’m happy, I do my maximum every year. For sure I had some years with injury and everything, so it’s not, yeah, that’s not easy, but when I’m fully fit and prepared, and yeah, I can ride with the best guys out there in motocross. So until I feel I can’t compete at the front, I will still ride, and yeah, once it’s becoming difficult to reach the top five, maybe, it’s gonna be time.
So Jorge Prado moved to Kawasaki this year, but in America, and he hasn’t clearly been able to get the setting on the field, and he wants to show his speed, you on the other hand, from you’ve been on the Kawasaki, you’ve been really, really fast the whole time, did you have a difficult adjustment from the Yamaha?
I changed because I felt that the Kawasaki, now it’s not the same bike anymore, but at that time I felt the Kawasaki, it was cool for me. It fits much better engine and chassis, so actually, my first plan was to stay with Yamaha, and Yamaha wanted to keep me, but at that time I just tried the Kawasaki, and I was like, it will add me a lot.
You really loved the bike then?
Yes, so it’s why I changed actually, and then from there, like I said, over the years, the bike has changed and everything, but I still like it a lot, so it’s why I’m still there.
Do you think different riders say different machines, the way, like Prado clearly didn’t have the same feel that you had when you got on the Kawasaki, and I don’t know if you’ve had that on other machines, your style is one way, and does that suit a certain manufacturer, or what have you found?
Yeah, so I think every rider has a bike who suits him better than the other, nnd especially in motocross, because everyone has a different style. All the bikes are quite different, one to the other, so you need to find the best, let’s say, the best package of bikes that you like, and that fits to you, that you don’t need to adapt so much to the bike.
That’s a big thing, because when you have to adapt almost everything, then it’s starts to be difficult, and yeah, that’s it. It’s why that sometimes we see one rider changing brand, or sometimes it’s better, and sometimes it’s worse, it’s just because sometimes you need to adapt more to the bike than than some other.
Finally, just on that track, it was rough last year, I don’t know, was it even rougher this year? I don’t know how you guys go around it that fast.
Yeah, Lommel, it’s always rough. Last year was also really tough. I think this year we get lucky with the weather because it wasn’t warm, so that’s a big thing also. Last year, I remember it was really warm, and yeah, that affects a lot the physical condition, and so yeah, we got lucky with the weather, and actually the track has a good flow. So yeah, like I say, if you have the technique a little bit in the sand, then for sure it’s much more easy than if you have to fight every lap.
