Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP's Romain Febvre is assured of the FIM silver medal in the World MXGP Motocross Championship after racing to his tenth GP podium of the season with second overall in the penultimate round of the series at Shanghai in China.

"I always feel good when it's really warm, though at least it's not so hot as last year. I have always been physically fit so I don't miss any energy and can push even when it's hot. After the first moto I knew it would be the battle between Jeffrey and myself; I could not quite make the pass even though I tried everything but it was good to finally battle with him at the front again. With two laps to go I was there; we were close on the last lap but I cross-rutted on a jump, got sideways and I said OK."

The Frenchman needed a couple of laps to find his usual rhythm in race one after a third-placed start but once he settled he was lapping faster than the leaders on a regular basis and was on the rear wheel of second after twenty minutes before making a decisive pass with six laps remaining.

The leader was still in sight but tantalizingly just too far to mount a challenge for victory and he eventually settled to a safe second at the chequered flag. Gating third in race two he needed half the race to find a way through to second but maintained the pressure at the front, racing onto the rear wheel of the leader through the last two laps before running out of time to mount a decisive final challenge.

The brace of runner-up moto finishes secured his tenth podium from eighteen GPs with second overall. Now ninety-three points clear of third in the series rankings prior to the final round in Australia next weekend Febvre cannot now be beaten for runner-up, and the FIM silver medal, in the ultimate standings of the world championship.

On the Saturday Febvre qualified second for the Chinese round of the FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship at the Shanghai International Off-road Circuit.

The Frenchman put his second-choice of gate from Timed Practice to good effect with a clear holeshot in the Qualifying race to head the pack through turn one before surrendering the lead after half a lap when he lost momentum in a loose turn as the berm collapsed.

Quickly regaining his composure he stuck to the task as the two leaders raced clear; matching each other's pace the top-two in the world spent the entire race tied together, eventually taking the chequered flag twenty seconds clear of third.

"I felt really good today. For once I got the start too but I knew Jeffrey would push me straight away. I went outside in a turn halfway round the lap; I hadn't checked that line on the sighting lap and the berm was completely broken. After that I was on his rear wheel all race so I hope for two more good starts again tomorrow; then I can battle for the win."