Romain Febvre to Make 2022 MXGP Debut This Weekend in Germany
Romain Febvre, runner-up in the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship (MXGP), has announced he will lineup for this weekend’s 11th round MXGP of Germany. The Kawasaki rider suffered a fractured tibia and fibula in a crash at the Paris Supercross in late November 2021. He underwent a successful surgery initially, but on April 1 shared real news that he needed to undergo another surgery in order to fix some space on his tibia.
“I wish it was a joke for the 1st April but it isn’t!
Tried to ride last week but it wasn’t possible, so had a checkup this week with the surgeon and actually the bone from the tibia is not healing everywhere! On one spot the space between the bone is apparently too much so I have to make another operation next week to clean and take some bones in my hip to put it there!
So it means this bike 👆🏼will have to wait again few weeks/months to be out!
Feel I didn’t have so much luck on that one, I feel so sorry for my team and sponsors as well! Thank you for the support of all my sponsors!”
The French native started riding again in May and posted on Instagram that although not 100 percent yet he would be returning for this weekend’s race. With so much many riders going out with injuries, it is good to see Febvre returning to the gates. He posted the following on Instagram, announcing his return:
“It’s time to go racing!
Make my decision yesterday to return racing next weekend in Germany!
Almost 6 months off the bike for the longest and toughest injury of my career!
I have been training physically for a long time now and very hard, dealing with pain but I still tried to train as much as I could!
It’s why also that with not many times on the bike I feel already good, I’m for sure still far from 100% but I have to start from somewhere!
Let’s go!”
In Febvre’s absence, Ben Watson has had to carry the team flag solo. Watson sits 12th in MXGP standings after ten rounds, scoring a season-best sixth overall at the MXGP of Italy at Maggiora Park in early May. Below is the full press release from the team, confirming the #3 will be back on the line this weekend.
Romain Febvre Back Behind The Gate This Weekend
For the first time this season Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP will line up its full squad at this weekend’s German GP as Romain Febvre will make his comeback in the FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship.
It has been a long wait for the Frenchman, the Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP and motocross fans worldwide, but finally this weekend will mark the comeback for the 2021 World Championship runner-up who has decided he is ready to return to the race track after several promising training sessions during the past few weeks. “There has been a lot of bad news in the past months but now I have a good one and I’m so happy to announce that I will be back behind the gate this weekend,” said Romain after another test-ride this morning; in accord with the team he will return to racing in the German GP at Teutschenthal this weekend. “I didn’t ride that much yet as I have only been training for two-and-a-half weeks so far, but the feeling with the bike is already really good so it’s time to be back racing. As I already explained previously the doctor told me that the pain will guide me and, even if sometimes I feel some pain, that’s acceptable,” he continued.
Having not raced for several months Romain has no real expectations for his comeback as he has no reference mark for his speed compared to his MXGP rivals. “I go to Germany without any specific goal as I didn’t ride with any other top riders in recent weeks; I would have liked to ride with Ben but after his crash in Spain he was not able to practice last week. We never stopped working on my fitness programme, even when I wasn’t able to ride the bike, so physically I am ready and I think that my speed will be OK, but for sure it will be more difficult at first to maintain the speed for the entire duration of the motos. But we must start somewhere. I’m not yet at 100% but as I have a good feeling on the bike and as we had some good training sessions it’s time to go and it was better to be back in Germany rather than wait for Indonesia. We didn’t want to return overseas; it’s much better to do so in Europe even if Teutschenthal is not the easiest track for a comeback. But I have some experience and know what is required.”
For Antti Pyrhönen and the KRT staff, this is excellent news of course. “We are so happy to welcome Romain back to racing. He has been working extremely hard for his comeback and now it’s time to take the next step and start building the race fitness. We are proud of the fight Romain has been putting in through this tough period and, together with Ben, they will complete the team,” concluded Antti who will thus have his full squad in action this weekend.
Main image courtesy of Kawasaki Racing/Bavo Swijgers
