Romain Febvre and the Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP started the 2025 FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship campaign with a moto win and second overall at Cordoba in Argentina to head back to Europe just a single point off the series lead.
The Frenchman, already the fastest man on track on Saturday, took the lead decisively at turn two in the first moto and had already stretched out a two-second advantage by the completion of the opening lap. Remaining cool in tricky conditions in the wake of overnight rain he remained cool and resisted the pressure from behind for 15 minutes before taking full advantage of a mistake by his closest rival to open up a comfortable gap which he maintained to the chequered flag. After being closed down out of the gate at the start of race two he turned tight through the first turn to claim third but then faced a frustrating three laps as the rider in second defied him at every turn before he could sweep around to claim the position. The race leader, who had chased home the Kawasaki star in race one, had already escaped by ten seconds and, although Febvre reduced the deficit by a third, he finally had to accept a share of the top points on the day and is just one point away from the red plate as the series heads back to Europe in two weeks’ time.
Romain Febvre: “We got so lucky with the weather today; this morning the track was quite muddy and difficult but the sun started shining one hour before our first moto and the track dried out well. I took the lead at turn two and felt good all moto. I didn’t get such a good jump in the second moto but I turned well at the first corner; I was just too slow to pass Guadagnini and the gap to Maxime was too much by the time I got to second. I pulled back a few seconds but then we got into the lapped riders and I had to settle for second. But we have good points to start the season and I am only one point from the red plate; that’s the best start to a season I ever had. I was riding good all weekend in all conditions, the new bike suits me well; I am where I need to be fitness-wise and I am ready for the long season so let’s go in Europe. But I hope we will return here next year; I like this track even better than the old track in Bariloche.”
KRT teammate Pauls Jonass had an unspectacular opening moto; tenth on the first lap, he maintained that position throughout the moto in a leaderboard freight train. A better start in race two saw the Latvian hold seventh place through the early laps before surrendering a couple of places in intensive leaderboard battles, but his eventual ninth was enough to ensure seventh overall on his Kawasaki debut.
Pauls Jonass: “I just didn’t get a good start in the first race; I made some nice passes on the first lap but then we were in one fast train. I got a better start in race two, gained a few places, lost a few places and eventually finished ninth. It was nothing special, just two consistent motos and I got a few big blisters on my hands in race two, but the first GP is now out of the way. It was my first GP for nine months and I was just a little too careful, riding in my comfort zone.”
Words and Images by Kawasaki EU – Haudik57
