Romain Febvre endured a dramatic weekend in Spain after a crash which meant he had to DNF the second race. The Factory KRT rider remains optimistic after escaping serious injury and regaining confidence on the bike. Despite a big crash that temporarily left him struggling to breathe, the Frenchman has already returned to riding and is focused on the bigger picture as the season unfolds.
The incident came unexpectedly during what had otherwise been a strong outing. Febvre explained that the crash was not the result of a major mistake, but rather a small misjudgement that quickly escalated.
“I feel okay, not bad. I mean I had just a weird little bit crash. I wasn’t expecting this because I didn’t do any mistake. It’s just that I put a little bit my front wheel on the wrong spot and then it gave me a head shake. I was not ready for this because I didn’t expect to crash there”, Febvre stated.
The impact left him winded and briefly unable to breathe, forcing him to sit trackside while recovering.
“I just crashed on the front, hurt my stomach and then a little bit my hip on the top. First of all I had my breathing stopped so I could not breathe. That’s why I was kind of sitting on the floor and trying to breathe because it just stopped.”
Fortunately, medical checks later confirmed there was no serious internal damage, allowing Febvre to shift his focus quickly toward recovery. He was able to ride on Wednesday to prepare for the Swiss GP.
“Monday and Tuesday were a little bit tough. I was a little bit stiff overall but like I said nothing bad. Already on Sunday evening I got a medical check… There was nothing to worry about so that was a good point. Now I could ride a little bit this week on Wednesday. I felt pretty good so now with two more days of rest I feel pretty okay for the weekend.”
The mental side of the crash proved just as telling as the physical impact. Even moments after the fall, Febvre’s instinct was to rejoin the race.
“I’m trying my best and I try to push myself to the limit where I can do. After that crash I was on the side of the track and I was more or less good again. I was like why I cannot go again just to finish the race… Two minutes before I was on the floor, not breathing and I was like this is not possible.”
Despite the disappointment of scoring zero points, Febvre remains encouraged by his pace. Prior to the crash, he had shown strong form and felt improvements on the bike following recent setup changes. Febvre believes the same core group of riders will once again battle for supremacy.
“We made some changes since Argentina and I felt much better on the bike. I had a really good first moto… I could catch Jeffrey a little bit for the second place. I feel it’s a little bit like the same guys as last year who are at the front. It will be the battle between us three with Jeffrey. Tim Gajser is still a little bit on the back but for sure it will come better every single race, I think. Us four will have a good battle.”
Looking ahead, Febvre emphasized the importance of strong starts and consistency, particularly on tighter circuits where overtaking is limited – like this weekend in Switzerland.
“Some tracks… even if you had a bad start then the top three can come back… This weekend on a track like this… it’s quite difficult to pass. If you have a bad start, it’s important to be good the first few laps to catch some places.”
While the crash was a setback, it has not derailed Febvre’s ambitions. With no major injuries, renewed confidence on the bike, and clear pace to challenge at the front, he remains firmly in the title fight. As the season continues, consistency and avoiding costly mistakes will be key—but if his resilience is any indication, Febvre is far from out of contention.
