DOHA: French rider Romain Febvre, the 2015 MXGP World Champion, will start the defence of his global title at Qatar’s iconic Losail International Circuit next week.
The opening leg of the 2016 calendar will kick off on February 26 and 27, organisers confirmed yesterday.
Febvre will be one of 70 riders to feature at the opening round of the 2016 FIM Motocross World Championship at Losail International Circuit.
The 24-year-old French rider became the rookie sensation of the MXGP category for 2015.
Febvre had been on the radar for many works teams since coming back to motocross at the beginning of the decade.
Having found his speed and groove, Febvre made sure to make his bravery, aggression and resilience count in 2015 when he scored eight GP victories and 15 moto-wins.
A 13th consecutive podiums helped the Frenchman to clinch the FIM MXGP World Championship crown at his first attempt.
Febvre will be challenged by highly successful Antonio Cairoli from Italy.
Cairoli won six world title on the trot before losing form last year. He started Losail round with a fourth-placed finish.
As in previous years, the MXGP of Qatar will be the only round that takes place under the floodlights. In addition to the MXGP and MX2, it will take place also the first round of 2016 FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship, organisers said yesterday.
The 18-stop 2016 FIM Motocross World Championship is a hugely popular series around the world, with TV viewership running into millions.
In the MXGP category, Febvre will defend his title with the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team against runner-up Gautier Paulin of Honda HRC team.
The 2015 MX2 World Champion winner Slovakia’s Tom Gasjer has changed his class and now will compete in the MXGP category.
The runner-up in the 2015 MX2 World Champion, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Pauls Jonass is the man to beat in this category. In the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship, Italian rider Kiara Fontanesi will try to clinch her fifth World Championship title in a row.
Last year, the premier category of the now 59 year-old FIM Motocross World Championship was renamed to ‘MXGP’ from MX1.
Up until 2004 the sport used denominations based upon cylinder capacity, so 125, 250 and 500cc. In the middle of the last decade – and to reflect the wide presence of four-stroke engine technology - the championship was re-distributed into ‘MX1’ and ‘MX2’.
The new MXGP class permits the entry of machinery from 250cc two-strokes to 450cc four-strokes.
The 2016 calendar will involve eighteen rounds, travelling from South America to the Middle East to Asia and the four corners of Europe.
Free practice and Qualifying race will be on February 26 from 3:00pm until 9:00pm and races will take place February 27 from 4:00pm until 10:00pm.
For all the fans, there will be free entrance to the grandstand and the price for a 2 Day VIP ticket is QR1000 and 2 Day Paddock ticket is QR100.
The Peninsula
