The MXGP World Championship red plate changes hands after the Portuguese GP. With Tim Gajser absent from the seventh round of the season due to the shoulder injury he sustained in Switzerland — an injury that may require surgery — the Slovenian rider has handed over the reins of the championship to Romain Febvre.
It’s been a long time coming for Romain Febvre, who had his eyes fixed on that iconic red plate. Remember: he last held it at the final GP of the 2021 season in Mantova, where he ultimately lost the title to Jeffrey Herlings by just 5 points. Four years later, the red plate is back on the French rider’s 450 KX-F after finishing second behind Lucas Coenen in Agueda this weekend — a reward for his consistency.
“The goal is to be consistent like that, like this weekend,” admitted the French rider at the end of the Portuguese GP. “Be fast, and consistent. I’m quite happy because we managed to find solutions to the start issues we had at the beginning of the year. Now I’m getting really good starts, and that’ll work in my favour later in the season. In races like this and in these conditions, you never know what can happen. You can crash, put your hands in the mud, and from there, it’s over.”
From the mud of Cozar to the mud of Agueda. While Romain was only able to salvage 32 points during a tough opening weekend in Spain, the Frenchman fared much better in the similar conditions of Agueda, scoring a full 50 points this time. Enough to make up the gap to Tim Gajser in the championship — but not quite enough to knock Lucas Coenen off the top step of the podium; the Belgian won all the races held in Portugal.
“The goal this Sunday was not to crash, and that’s what I did — so I’m happy,” said Febvre. “In both motos, I was up front with Lucas and battling for the win. I managed to pass him twice in the first moto, but he got me back immediately each time. In the second moto, I stayed right on his rear wheel, but I couldn’t find a line that would allow me to make the difference. That’s how it goes.” Febvre now heads home with the MXGP red plate in his possession. “I finish second in the Grand Prix, I take the red plate. I’ve been chasing this red plate for 4 years, and it feels good to finally get it. Of course, the season is still long, there are a lot of races left, but I don’t care. I have the red plate, that’s what I wanted, and it gives me confidence for what’s to come. We’ll see how the next races go.”
Still, the Kawasaki KRT factory rider has no intention of letting the red plate weigh heavily on his shoulders. The season is far from over — and as Tim Gajser’s experience in Frauenfeld proved — anything can happen and the tide can quickly turn.
“This red plate isn’t pressure. It’s confidence. I’ve been chasing it for so long, and now it’s mine. The championship will be long, and a lot of things can happen. I’ll need to stay in the fight until the end, that’s for sure. For now, all that matters is that my Kawasaki will have the red plate for the next round in Lugo.”
Febvre will head into the eighth round in Lugo with a 43-point lead over Lucas Coenen, winner of the last two GPs. Mathematically, Tim Gajser is still second in the championship (25 points behind), but the Slovenian rider is not expected to return to action any time soon. In the paddock at Agueda, it’s said that Tim dislocated his shoulder again while attempting to ride at home — in Tigaland — before the Portuguese GP. That would explain the last-minute turnaround within the HRC camp, as it’s worth noting that Tim had initially announced he would race in Agueda, only to back out just hours later. If surgery is indeed necessary, Tim Gajser can already kiss his 2025 title hopes goodbye.
