By Rizwan Rehmat
LOSAIL, Qatar: Defending champion Romain Febvre feels delighted to have recovered for the first MXGP race of the new season that commences under lights at the Losail International Circuit from today.
The 24-year-old French MXGP star injured his arm at the Italian Championship race earlier this month, causing doubt in his camp if he would recover in time for the season-opener tonight.
“I was injured two weeks ago but I missed only one week of riding so I am happy to be back,” Fevbre said during the season’s first press conference yesterday.
“I feel good and ready to go and we will see how it goes,” the Frenchman, who will ride for Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team, added.
“It is a new season and I feel good,” he said.
Nineteen-year-old Tim Gajser, the MX2 world champion, said he can’t wait for the start of the new season.
“I feel really good. I had a long winter. We had plenty of testing. I have a new bike. I am happy and comfortable with the bike,” Gajser, who will ride for Honda Gariboldi, said.
“I can’t wait for the first round to start,” he said.
Germany’s Maximilian “Max” Nagl said all riders start from zero at the start of the new season. Nagl will ride for Rockstar Enerygy Husqvarna Factry Racing.
“Every new season, we start from zero. There were great memories last year but like I said, everyone starts new,” Nagl said.
“I had a good preparation in the winter. There were no injuries. Weather was god too. We all had a new bike. I am fine with the set-up,” he said.
“The team has done a good job. I am happy to start racing now. We feel normal in the testing. It is good to be racing soon,” he said.
Veteran rider Antonio Cairoli pf Red Bull KTM Factory Racing sounded iffy when asked if he was ready for the new season.
“I don’t know,” Cairoli said when asked if he could finally win a race in Qatar.
“I was injured and missed five weeks of riding. That’s pretty long time not to be riding,” the Italian said.
“I was feeling very good and strong before the crash. But this is part of the job. We have to survive the first round. I will be trying to do my best.
“If you get a good start, you never know what will happen,” he warned.
Dutch rider and Cairloli’s team-mate Jeffery Herlings said: “Obviously I had injuries but now I feel back in the pack. We did a lot of testing in winter. I feel much better. We have been going fast. It’s a long season. We will do our best. The first round will tell us where we are.”
Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Clement Desalle said that his goal is ti grab some points at Losail Circuit.
“I broke my arm two weeks ago so my goal is to take some points, I will see how I feel tomorrow, I am not so happy to start like this but I will try to make it positive and the season is very long so I just want to improve myself from the problem I had two weeks ago,” Desalle said.
Suzuki World MXGP’s Ben Townley said; “I’m excited to be here, it’s been more than ten years since I have been sitting at a place like this and its grown mentally,” .
FIM/CMS Director Tony Skillington rounded up the word from the officials: “It’s an honor and great pleasure as always to be amongst you, I’m very excited for it.”
“There will be a few new changes this year one of which will be that body armor is compulsory and if you are a rider this should be music to your ears that the FIM is being proactive in making our sport safer,” he added.
QMMF President Abdulrahman Al Mannai said: “I’m a big fan of motocross. It’s a big challenge but we are passionate about this sport and we are so thrilled and looking forward to the journey we will make together.”
Khalid Al Remaihi, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of Losail Circuit Sports Club, said: “We welcome the riders and the Youthstream officials. It is a big challenge for us to stage this race but I would call it an exciting challenge.”
He added: “It will be a steep level curve but we are game to take motor sport to new level of fan adulation. Our objective is to promote motor sport and there is no better way to do it than hosting major international events like this one.” The Peninsula
