The youngsters continues to take over the scene in the MXGP and MX2 championships. 23 year old Romain Febvre and 18 year old Tim Gajser make sure the older lions like Antonio Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings keep looking over their shoulders and in fact for Cairoli he has to look ahead, because that is just where Febvre is in the championship points.
It has been a long time since the Grand Prix series has seen so much young talent arrive on the scene and there is no doubt that more is to come with the MX2 class loaded with teenagers looking at moving up to the MXGP class.
Gajser who scored his third GP victory of the 2015 season last weekend in Germany is starting to get used to the feeling of standing on top of the GP podium. Instead of putting pressure on himself he is just enjoying his racing and working hard.
“I put too much pressure on myself at the start of the season,” Gajser said. “I think I had expected too much. After the first three rounds I said to myself to not put too pressure on myself. I needed to go to the races have fun and enjoy riding, and that was it, and for sure that was a big positive for me. I have made many mistakes this year, but the last three rounds, France, Italy and Germany it was really good. I am getting back in my shape and riding like I can. It is clear we have many good riders in the MX2 class, not just Jeffrey. Look how many GP winners we have and guy who can make the podium.”
And while the young Honda rider is improving with every round of the MX2 championship the MXGP rookie Romain Febvre does the same. His 1-1-1 from Italy, France and Germany has seen him move to the very top of the MXGP point’s standings, and people are actually talking about him being the 2015 World MXGP champion!
Febvre knows the season isn’t nearly over and it’s going to take a mammoth effort to beat the likes of Antonio Cairoli and Max Nagl, but on current form he has nothing to worry about.
“Having the red plate is really nice but this is the tenth GP,” Febvre said. “There are still sixteen moto’s to go and there is something like four hundred points still available, so we need to keep consistent.”
While he won in Germany last weekend, it wasn’t easy work as he fought hard with a handful of solid MXGP competitors.
“In Germany Dean (Ferris) was difficult to pass, and in the second moto we had a nice battle with Gautier (Paulin) but I knew I needed second to win the GP so I made sure of that until the end.”
There can be no doubt that when the riders head to Sweden in two week’s time that both Gasjer and Febvre will have targets on their back. In the MX2 class Jeffrey Herlings will be desperate to get the momentum back, and in MXGP both Antonio Cairoli and Max Nagl will be a little fitter than they were in Germany. Both suffering injuries, but determined to fight until the very end.
Whatever happens in the coming few months, you have to respect these two young men for the performances in the first half of the season.
