Romain Febvre delivered a statement performance ahead of the 2025 MXGP season opener, going 1-1 at Lierop in the Netherlands in a commanding final pre-season showing.
The Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP rider looked in top form, proving he’s ready to battle for the title as the championship kicks off this weekend in Argentina.
Originally set to race in Sommières, Febvre and his team had to make a last-minute change when the French event was canceled due to bad weather. Undeterred, the KRT squad made the overnight journey to Lierop, where Febvre lined up alongside his new teammate, Pauls Jonass, for one final tune-up before the season. While not a full MXGP field, the competition was still intense, with local specialists and strong international riders providing a solid challenge.
Febvre wasted no time showcasing his speed. In the first moto, he ran second behind Jonass before the Latvian crashed in the wave section. With no way to avoid Jonass’ bike, Febvre also went down but managed to remount still in the lead. From there, he charged ahead, pulling away at two seconds per lap to take the win by 17 seconds.
Romain Febvre (#3) and new teammate Pauls Jonass (#41) went head-to-head at Lierop, showcasing their speed ahead of the MXGP season opener.
In race two, Febvre grabbed the holeshot and engaged in a thrilling battle with Dutch sand specialist and MXGP regular Glenn Coldenhoff. The two distanced themselves from the field by five seconds per lap, but Febvre never faltered, controlling the race from the front to complete a perfect 1-1 sweep. His pace was so strong that he lapped up to sixth place, reinforcing his status as a top contender for the upcoming MXGP season.
“When Sommières was cancelled, we had to change our plan, so huge thanks to the team for making the trip here,” Febvre said. “They had to work on the bike settings because Sommières is a hard-pack track and Lierop is deep sand! I hadn’t trained in the sand for two weeks, but I wanted to do one more race before the first MXGP, so I was happy to be here. In the first moto, I had a good start and was running second when Pauls crashed in the waves—his bike landed in front of me, and I had no chance to avoid it! Luckily, I got back up still leading and won that moto. In the second race, I took the holeshot, and Coldenhoff was pushing, but I stayed in front and won again. I’ve had podiums at Hawkstone and Lacapelle, but it feels great to finally win races. I feel comfortable, I feel fast, and I feel ready for Argentina.”
Meanwhile, Pauls Jonass—who recently joined the team for 2025—delivered an impressive performance despite a pair of setbacks. The former MX2 World Champion led early in moto one before a crash dropped him to fourth, and in moto two, an unfortunate tangle at the start left him dead last. However, he charged through the field with race-leading pace, climbing all the way to third on the final lap to secure an overall podium finish.
“The results could have been better, but the riding and feeling were both good, so I can take a lot of positives to Argentina,” Jonass reflected. “I crashed while leading in the first moto, and in race two, another rider’s handlebars got stuck in my rear wheel off the start, so I was last into turn one. But I found a great rhythm and had good speed to come back to third. I’m ready for the season.”
With three solid pre-season races under their belt, the Kawasaki Racing Team is primed for the long battle ahead.
“Romain’s starts and riding were very strong, and he took no unnecessary risks in this final pre-season race,” KRT Team Manager Antti Pyrhönen said. “Pauls was also riding really well, and considering how much time he spent off the bike, he’s coming strong. The entire team has worked hard, and we’re ready for the World Championship.”
With Febvre looking sharp and Jonass gaining momentum, all eyes are now on Argentina as the 2025 MXGP season kicks off this weekend.