Kawasaki Factory rider Romain Febvre is slowly building confidence as the 2024 MXGP championship rolls into Portugal in 10 days’ time. The Former MXGP champion and last years World number two is starting to show the same form that saw him win five Grand Prixs in a row, when he really started to challenge Jorge Prado for the 2023 World MXGP championship.

Funnily enough, back 12 months ago and after four rounds, Febvre wasn’t enjoying the season, starting the year with no consistency and after four rounds was in fourth place in the championship points and 35 points off series leader Jorge Prado. He was yet to win a Grand Prix, and his best result was a win in the qualification race in the Trentino GP, although even that GP was average with 12-4 scores.

A round later in Portugal, the Frenchman scored second overall with 2-3 scores and moved to third in the points. His season took a turn for the worst though in the following round in Spain, when he crashed and failed to score any points.

Determined to turn his season around, Febvre then went on a rampage, winning back-to-back, to back GPs, two GPs in Indonesia, then winning Loket, Lommel, and Finland. His Spanish accident though saw him still 100 points down on Prado for the championship, but already, everyone was starting to look at 2024 and what he might be capable of with the same type of consistent results.

As we sit now, after four rounds, that championship lead by Prado is similar to 2023, with the defending World MXGP champion on 219 points and Febvre on 174, so a 45-point lead for the Spaniard.

What changed a little bit in momentum though, was the fact Febvre again won the Saturday in Trentino, then won the opening moto, before crashing in the second moto while going for a pass on Prado for the GP win. Another mistake though saw the Kawasaki rider on the deck, but the momentum he gained over that weekend has given him a lot of confidence heading into Portugal in 10 days’ time.

While nobody can deny the form of Jorge Prado this year is sensational and while it was Febvre winning many of the GPs in 2023, now its Prado and it will take a massive effort in Portugal and then in Spain and France for the Frenchman to turn the tables on Prado. For the motocross public, we all want a fight for the title, so many will be backing Febvre in Portugal, and he will need their support.

As former GP winner Paul Malin told me two weeks ago in Trentino, there are times in a season, when its time to go, all the great riders know that time, and pick that moment. For Febvre, that moment will be within the next month, in those three countries I mentioned (Portugal, Spain and France). If he can beat Prado in Portugal, Spain or France, then its championship on.

We caught up with the always friendly Frenchman and asked about his victory last weekend in the Dutch Masters of Motocross and his confidence after a very good Trentino GP. As always, he was open in his answers and a true professional.

MXLarge: Congratulations on the weekend, you got a win in the Dutch Masters, can you explain that for me?

Febvre: Yes, so, actually, I also did the Dutch Masters last year, because it is always good practice and just three rounds, so, it is easy for us and also because we live in Belgium, it isn’t that far to travel. Tracks are good and stuff and it was a good weekend last weekend. All the previous races, I finished second to Jeffrey and getting closer and this weekend, it was a good weekend. I had good starts and the first moto I went away, finishing with a big lead over the others. Second race, I started with Jeffrey and was right behind him. The first lap I tried to pass him but lost the front and crashed. It wasn’t a big crash, just a small crash in a turn, but I lost some time and some positions. I had to come back, but I came back pretty close to him (Herlings), so, it was a good race on the weekend.

MXLarge: Obviously Jorge has been very good until now. Slowly, it seems you and Tim are getting closer to him and in Trentino, had you not crashed, you had a really good chance to win that Grand Prix. Jorge obviously came in from racing in the winter and not taking a break. He again won in Trentino, but you showed really good speed. I can imagine coming out of Trentino you were very frustrated, but also excited with the progress you made getting closer to Jorge.

Febvre: Yes, I was disappointed about the crash, or course. I just tried to pass him and somehow, I made a mistake, on my own, so, this is my own fault. To get a win again, like on Saturday, in the qualifying race, then the first race on Sunday, to pass Prado. You know, it was the first time Prado started first and got passed and then he dropped back, so, I think we found a way to beat him. It is good for the rest of the championship, because its just the beginning (of the championship). It is good to find some negative points on him, where we can beat him, so I am very excited for the rest of the rounds.

MXLarge: It is funny, because last year, you had that run of so many GP wins, but you didn’t get a GP win until after a bunch of rounds. Now, with the momentum from Trentino and nearly winning the GP, do you feel like you might be able to get enough momentum that you can win like you did in 2024?

Febvre: Yes, I mean, like the good thing is now I was able to win a race in Trentino and if I didn’t crash, I could have won the Grand Prix. It is just good to get back to winning, a moto or a Grand Prix and that brings confidence in what I am doing and then we can also see that we are getting closer or better than Prado. It is good for the confidence. To win a GP, is becoming more and more special, because there are four of us and sometimes even more who can win, but it might be between Prado, Herlings myself and Gajser and it is good to be where I am now. Last year, to win five in a row was special and that doesn’t happen often, that somebody can do that. I am not looking to repeat that and winning five in a row, I just want to be consistently and consistently on the podium.

MXLarge: It has been spoken a lot, by many people that Jorge has an advantage early in the season, because he did the supercross, so more or less kept the race pace and while he was doing supercross, it is still racing and for the rest of you guys, you have to rebuild to that again. Is it possible Jorge has a period of getting burnt out from all the racing, you think that isn’t a problem for him?

Febvre: I don’t know. I think because he is young, so I think he can recover better than us, I think. Also, I think the way he is well managed, the people around him, they can tell him what to do and what not to do, just his recovery between the races, so, I don’t think expect it. Of course, if it happens, that is good for us, but I don’t expect it. He has good people around him to manage that. The thing, he has always been a good rider, with a good technique already, from MX2 days.

MXlarge: What makes him better this year?

Febvre: I think, he just got fitter than last year, because many people in the media ask him about his fitness last year, but he says he was fit, but really, he wasn’t that fit in the second moto, because his second moto was often not as good as the first moto. I think he just got fitter and stronger and of course experience. It is a good challenge for us. He is a good racer, but like I said, I think I found the way to put him under pressure from the beginning and then try and beat him like this, because, the thing is now, he is fitter than before, takes a good start and if he takes a lead at the beginning, it is hard to catch him, but now, we are better on the start and if I can start with him, and put him directly under pressure, then I have a big chance to pass him and to win. This is my goal for the next few races.

MXLarge: The bike, has it changed a lot, you mentioned something about the chassis when I interviewed you a few months ago, but has the set-up changed much or anything else?

Febvre: Yes, it has changed, but from the beginning of the year, we haven’t changed too much, just the set-up of the suspension. From the bike of last year, yes, last year we had the factory frame, but now we ride with the production frame, which is the biggest change. We also had some upgrade from the engine and then just a few parts. The biggest thing is the chassis.

MXLarge: And now we head to Portugal and Spain. Have you been good in Portugal in the past?

Febvre: Yes, I have done well there, I always like that track. Last year I think I was on the podium and won the first moto. Sure, I am excited to go there and then also Spain. Spain would be a big race for Prado, because it is his home race or something like this. My goal is to beat him there, because last time we went to Spain, he was really good there. He was faster than us, but to beat him at Lugo would be a good thing for me and that is my goal.

Pascal Haudiquert images