Kawasaki factory rider Romain Febvre has been one of the best riders in the World for a decade now, since he won his World MXGP championship in 2015 and also won the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations at Ernee with team France. It was obvious back 10 years ago, that this Frenchman would be a contender for many years to come and that has been the case.

His fights with names like Jeffrey Herlings, Tim Gajser and Jorge Prado will go down in the folk-law of Grand Prix motocross and I think I speak for many people, when you get the feeling, he deserves at least another World title next to his name before he retires.

With 21 Grand Prix wins and that 2015 World title, Febvre will be remembered as one of the best French motocross riders of all time and his achievements in the MXoN make sure he will also stays in the hearts of his nation. We were lucky enough to have a chat with Febvre and below is what he told us.

MXLarge: You have a small family, and I noticed on your social media you had a nice break. How was it for you?

Febvre: It is good to do something else and especially after a long season, so it was good to be with the family, go on holidays and enjoy some time off. It also gives a good feeling when I return to my work, to have that good time off.

MXLarge: Does it also make it difficult to go back to work, when you can share a normal life with your family, because once the work starts, its 100% work isn’t it?

Febvre: Yes and no, because I have been doing this a long time and we are used to it now. I had an off-season with no injury, so its nice to go back to work, because many years in the off-season I have been injured, but this time, I am fit and haven’t lost too much physical and its good to go back to work.

MXLarge: I remember speaking to you last year and you mentioned there might be some changes to the bike, what are those changes?

Febvre: No big changes, chassis wise it’s the same, some small changes with the suspension, but the main change is the emission and noise (new rules for MXGP with noise reduction, and emissions reduction amongst other aspects) and we are still working on that, but we actually figured something out today. So, actually, its just about the noise and the exhaust has to be different and make the engine smoother, also with the intake, so that has to change. Mainly the power has to change and that was the main thing. We are near that now and we still have to work on the mapping and stuff.

MXLarge: You have a new team-mate in Pauls Jonass, a very friendly happy guy, also with a small family, so that must be nice to work with him?

Febvre: We are now in Sardinia, and we are together now for a week. Before that he was in Portugal with Stefan (Everts) and I was in Spain, but now we are together, we hadn’t met much before. He is a good guy to talk with and easy going, so its really good to talk with him and he also knows the team from when it was Husqvarna. He doesn’t have to adapt to the team.

MXlarge: I spoke to Pauls last week and we talked about how long he has been racing MXGP, and he said he is nearly a veteran. You are also a long time involved in the Grand Prix scene and while I wouldn’t want to call you a veteran, you are very experienced in this sport. How is that, as you get older, do you need to change anything?

Febvre: With the age and the experience, it is easier to manage your season and also your fitness, because you know where you have to push and what you have to do. Also, what you shouldn’t do, or don’t need to do. So, for that it is easier, but I do feel, and I think everyone feels this, is when you get older, you need to keep that speed. The level of the speed, its harder to get when you are older, so you need to work on that, to keep that speed. As you get older, you think more, but you really need to work on keeping the speed. So, to keep that speed on one lap and maintain it. Also, the overall speed, I also have to work on that.

MXLarge: You are still one of the best riders in the World, right up there with guys like Herlings and Gajser, you have shown that time and time again, but because you get older, do you think about when you might want to stop, or is that something that hasn’t even entered you head?

Febvre: No, for the moment, I don’t’ think about that at all, which is good, because I think when you start thinking about that, it means it might be harder to fight at the top level. I don’t think about that at all and also, I don’t think about my family situation either. When I start to think about those things, then maybe it is time to stop.

MXLarge: You are one of the big three in 2025, but you only have one championship, and I think everyone feels as though you deserve another title at least to your name, because you have been so competitive. Do you ever think about that yourself?

Febvre: Not really. I mean, 2021 was close and I might think about that a little bit, because when you battle until the last moto and are just say two points off, then you feel as thought that could have been your championship, but the others, in 2024, when I fought with Prado, it was a bigger gap and I don’t think about that. It is always the same and we all have a chance at the beginning, and you have to make it happen, that’s it.

MXLarge: It is 10 years ago in 2015 that you were crowned World MXGP champion, but I get the feeling you are actually a lot better rider now then you were then. What do you think?

Febvre: It is difficult to compare the years. Honestly, I didn’t think about it, because you cannot really compare. The bikes have changed, and everything has changed. Now, me, Gajser and Herlings, nobody can beat them and at that time, I was fast, but now we have these guys also. Maybe I am faster, because the bike changed and I am still up there, which is good.

MXLarge: What happens now until the opening round in Argentina. How long are you in Sardinia and which pre-season races will you do?

Febvre: We will be here testing until the end of January, and my first pre-season will be Hawkstone Park on the ninth of February and I will do the two international races in France, Lacapelle and Sommieres on the 16th and 23rd of February.

Pascal Haudiquert images