Kawasaki factory rider, Romain Febvre has won an exciting MXGP qualification race, with victory after a tough tussel between Tim Gajser, Lucas Coenen and Jeffrey Herlings. The Frenchman has made big progress in bike set-up and could be a contender for the overall come tomorrow. Gajser second and Coenen third. Pascal Haudiquert image

World championship points are now Lucas Coenen 294 points, Jeffrey Herlings 291pts, Romain Febvre 241pts, Tim Gajser 232pts, Tom Vialle 219pts. Coenen with a three point lead over Herlings heading into tomorrow.

Romain Febvre: It was a tense race, but happy to win that after a good start and on this track is makes it easier. He (Gajser) tried to catch and I didn't have some good lines and I was trying to change lines, but some corners you have 12 lines.

Tim Gajser: I am okay, it was a tough one, many stones, the sun was low. I took a solid start and I was trying different lines and felt faster, but I couldn't pass him. I wasn't sure Thursday if I would line up.

Lucas Coenen: It is hard to be in the middle, because you get attacked and are attacking. Jeffrey and I banged bars in the start. I had some good lines, but its hard to attack at the back.

MXGP Qualification Race

Febvre with the lead in the MXGP qualification race, with Gajser second then Forato, Coenen, de Wolf, Herlings, Horgmo, Fernandez, Adamo and Jonass. Vialle in 16th place and Renaux 13th. Coenen into third as Renaux down with a crash and dropping through the field.

Coenen all over Gajser for second place, with Jonass into sixth place as he charged through the field. De Wolf back to 8th place and yellow flags with a bunch of riders down. A nice battle building with Gajser, Coenen and Herlings all very close, with Febvre a second further up the track.

Riders spreading out somewhat as Febvre held a second lead over Gajser, with Coenen two second off Gajser and Herlings three seconds behind Coenen. Then came Jonass, Adamo, de Wolf, Fernandez, Bonacorsi and Forato 10th.

Adamo a nice pass on Jonass for fifth place, with de Wolf also hounding the Latvian. Three former MX2 champions having fun together in Germany. Febvre with a 1.3 second lead over Gajser, with Coenen 4.1 back and Herlings 5.9 back.

Gajser all over the back wheel of the Frenchman, as the gap was 1.1 seconds, with Coenen 3.2 back and Herlings 4.7, so also closing the gap to the front men. Adamo 13.5 back, de Wolf 15 seconds back, then Fernandez, Jonass, Bonacorsi, Forato.

The lead by Febvre was now half a second, with Coenen and Herlings starting to make big ground on Febvre and Gajser. A big battle about to commence. Febvre and Gajser nearly collided as he Frenchman not allowing the Slovenian to pass. A four-way battle now for the lead as the German fans getting something special.

A brilliant fight for the lead, but Febvre knows how to block any passing move and as much as Gajser tries, Febvre blocks it and now Coenen all over those two and Herlings a little further back. Two minutes to go and Herlings onto Coenen and two seconds between the top four.

Febvre getting away a little and Coenen and Herlings hunting the Slovenian as de Wolf crashed and dropped some positions. Top ten on lap 10 was Febvre, Gajser, Coenen, Herlings, Adamo, Fernandez, de Wolf, Jonass, Bonacorsi, and Forato.

Again some changes as Febvre and Gajser get away from Coenen and Herlings, but the Dutchman all over the Belgian for third place. Gajser nearly collided with a lapped rider and that helped Febvre, with Coenen and Herlings out of contention for the moto win. Febvre wins from Gajser and Coenen.

MXGP - Qualifying Race - Classification

1. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), 25:27.569; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Yamaha), +0:01.192; 3. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:02.238; 4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, Honda), +0:04.011; 5. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:28.641; 6. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:31.113; 7. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:36.153; 8. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Kawasaki), +0:38.076; 9. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, Ducati), +0:43.008; 10. Alberto Forato (ITA, Fantic), +0:43.848; 11. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Ducati), +0:46.007; 12. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Honda), +0:47.376; 13. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Fantic), +0:48.429; 14. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:51.037; 15. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), +0:57.030; 16. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KTM), +1:01.904; 17. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), +1:04.332; 18. Jago Geerts (BEL, Beta), +1:07.382; 19. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +1:13.594; 20. Rick Elzinga (NED, KTM), +1:16.159; 21. Ben Watson (GBR, Triumph), +1:19.335; 22. Kevin Brumann (SUI, Husqvarna), +1:34.034; 23. Cato Nickel (GER, Honda), +1:35.689; 24. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, Yamaha), +1:36.693; 25. Noah Ludwig (GER, KTM), +1:37.881; 26. Nico Koch (GER, KTM), +1:47.721; 27. William Voxen Kleemann (DEN, KTM), +1:51.018; 28. Peter Koenig (GER, KTM), -1 lap(s); 29. Jakub Teresak (CZE, KTM), -1 lap(s); 30. Nico Greutmann (SUI, Honda), -1 lap(s); 31. Mark Scheu (GER, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 32. Max Thunecke (GER, Suzuki), -1 lap(s); 33. Federico Tuani (ITA, Honda), -1 lap(s); 34. Romain Pape (FRA, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 35. Mike Gwerder (SUI, KTM), -1 lap(s); 36. Albin Gerhardsson (SWE, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 37. Filip Olsson (SWE, Honda), -1 lap(s); 38. Maximilian Spies (GER, KTM), -8 lap(s); 39. Tom Vialle (FRA, Honda), -12 lap(s); 40. Brian Hsu (GER, Honda), -13 lap(s);

MXGP - World Championship Classification

1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), 294 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, HON), 291 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 241 p.; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, YAM), 232 p.; 5. Tom Vialle (FRA, HON), 219 p.; 6. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 218 p.; 7. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 191 p.; 8. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 182 p.; 9. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 177 p.; 10. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, DUC), 126 p.; 11. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KAW), 118 p.; 12. Alberto Forato (ITA, FAN), 115 p.; 13. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), 89 p.; 14. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON), 85 p.; 15. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), 69 p.; 16. Brent Van doninck (BEL, FAN), 55 p.; 17. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), 49 p.; 18. Ben Watson (GBR, TRI), 45 p.; 19. Jago Geerts (BEL, BET), 41 p.; 20. Thibault Benistant (FRA, HON), 40 p.; 21. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KTM), 39 p.; 22. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, DUC), 34 p.; 23. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, DUC), 30 p.; 24. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), 8 p.; 25. Enzo Lopes (BRA, HON), 7 p.; 26. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 7 p.; 27. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, YAM), 5 p.; 28. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 5 p.; 29. Joaquin Poli (ARG, KAW), 5 p.; 30. Noah Ludwig (GER, KTM), 4 p.; 31. Maximilian Spies (GER, KTM), 4 p.; 32. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 3 p.; 33. Brian Hsu (GER, HON), 3 p.; 34. Lars van Berkel (NED, FAN), 3 p.; 35. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 2 p.; 36. Bogdan Krajewski (FRA, YAM), 1 p.;