FIM Motocross World Championship
Riola Sardo, Italy
MXGP of Sardegna
Kawasaki Charges Through Sardegna Sand with Podiums and Championship Gains
Kawasaki riders powered through the demanding sand of Riola Sardo, Italy, delivering a resilient performance across all classes at Round 4 of the FIM Motocross World Championship, highlighted by podium finishes and key movement in the championship standings. In the EMX250 class, Venum Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Francisco Garcia rebounded from an opening-lap fall to secure second overall and extend his series lead, while teammate Jake Cannon remains firmly in title contention. In the MXGP class, Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP rider Romain Febvre narrowly missed the overall podium on a tie-break with a fourth-place finish, advancing to fourth in the championship standings, as teammate Pauls Jonass added valuable points. In the MX2 class, Kawasaki Racing Team MX2 rider Mathis Valin charged from 15th to sixth in Race 2 after an early setback, while DRT Kawasaki’s Kay Karssemakers secured seventh overall with consistent race finishes. Kawasaki also extended its lead in the EMX250 Manufacturers’ Championship, continuing to build momentum as the series progresses.
MXGP Results
Francisco Garcia
EMX250
"I am so annoyed with myself for that stupid mistake on the first lap, but I came back for second overall and kept the red plate. Now we go back to base to train as hard as possible to avoid mistakes and focus on the next race to win again."
Romain Febvre
MXGP
"I was quite strong in the first race, but I missed my flow on the track in the second moto. Today was not great, but it was still good points for the championship. The starts were really positive all weekend, and I hope we can carry those on to all types of track; we made some changes to the front fork, and it was working really well in the deep sand. I crashed three laps from the end of the first moto; it didn't lose me any positions, but it cost me some energy, which was missing in the second moto, so I couldn't find my flow. I try my best every time I race, but today it was not quite enough for the podium."
Pauls Jonass
MXGP
"The first moto was a big improvement on yesterday, but I lost my rhythm a little mid-moto before I got going again at the end. I made a good start in Race 2, but then I crashed at the second turn; I wanted to go for the inside, but I couldn't turn in traffic and went over the berm into the wall. That was a pity and I came forward again; I felt good riding alone, but it was difficult to make passes. It was a typical Riola; it's always tough here."
Kay Karssemakers
MX2
"It was a good weekend for seventh place; I was consistently fast to the finish in both motos. I made a good start in the first moto and was sixth for 20 minutes before I lost my rhythm for a couple of laps, but I found it again at the end to secure eighth place. I rode a really good first turn in the second moto to come out fifth, but [Guillem] Farres pushed me off the track at Turn 2 and I had to do it all again from outside the Top 10. I fought to the end and found my flow mid-race to finish seventh. We are building every week; it was our first goal to be always Top 10 and we are already there; the next step is to push for Top 5 and I hope I can be on the podium before the end of the season."
Mathis Valin
MX2
"The first moto was pretty short. I made a good start, but directly on the first lap I had problems and had to stop. We changed to the second bike for Race 2 but I didn't have the same feeling with the clutch at the start. After a few laps, I found my flow and could push. The speed was there and I wasn't far from third at the end; I tried for several laps to find a way past Karlis Reisulis, but I had no tear-offs left."
