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Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre will make his highly-anticipated return from injury this weekend at the MXGP of Portugal, marking round six of the 2019 MXGP World Championship.

The former world champion underwent surgery following Argentina’s season-opener in March, where he severely damaged his ankle in a moto two crash.

“I’m excited to start racing again,” said Febvre. “My foot is not yet 100 percent as it is expected to take a few more weeks for the mobility to improve. I still have pain sometimes, but it is not too bad.

“I think it has been nine weeks since the operation and I realise that I need a starting point to return to racing, even if it is not 100 percent because there is no guaranteed time frame in which it will be 100 percent.

“I can’t wait for it, because I will lose too much time. I look forward to returning in Portugal. I like the track there, so I look forward to rediscovering my speed and to start rebuilding my race condition.”

Febvre’s seat was briefly occupied by three-time Australian champion Dean Ferris, however a minor knee injury sustained in his first appearance at Matterley Basin saw him immediately return home, leaving the position vacant. Ferris has since signed with Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing in the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship.

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Monster Energy Wilvo Yamaha MXGP’s Gautier Paulin says his top three finish at Mantova’s fifth round of the 2019 MXGP World Championship was unexpected after lodging a 6-4 scorecard.

Paulin, who has transferred to the Yamaha squad for 2019 after previously racing aboard Husqvarna machinery, put on a consistent display in rain-soaked conditions at the Italian round, boosting the Frenchman’s confidence in just the early stages of his campaign.

“Today we had a difficult track, but we worked really hard over the last five weeks and made a big step forwards with the bike,” Paulin commented.

“I didn’t expect this result, but I am happy to be on the box. I am already looking forward to the next GP in Portugal, I really enjoy the track there so I can’t wait to get back behind the gate.”

Paulin sits third in the championship rankings as the series returns to action this weekend at Agueda for the MXGP of Portugal.

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Reigning Australian MX2 champion and current points leader Wilson Todd has outlined his plans for a brief stint in the 2019 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship as the Pirelli MX Nationals experiences a lengthy seven-week break.

Todd, who’s always expressed ambitions of racing internationally, will contest the 250MX category at Hangtown’s season-opener this weekend followed by Fox Raceway’s second stop of the tour.

Despite being signed with DPH Motorsport Husqvarna in Australia, Todd will pilot a KTM 250 SX-F arranged through Troy Lee and the TLD Red Bull KTM squad, which comes after a number of failed attempts to secure a FC 250 during his stay.

“[I] flew over to California on Friday to start trying to do some riding,” Todd revealed to MotoOnline.com.au. “I’ll be here for the first two nationals at Hangtown and Fox Raceway, and if maybe an opportunity came up to do any more with a team or support, I’ll do more.

“I’ll be riding a KTM for this one – it’s been a big mess organising a bike, and I have been through so many different plans that were all to do with Husky, but on Thursday or Friday my good friend Johnny McLean and I spoke about trying to go with an opportunity of using one of the Troy Lee bikes, and on Saturday we were good to go. The team and Max Lee helped me with one of their bikes to ride.

“We have a big break and it would be so hard to keep motivated and focused to keep grinding with weeks on end of no racing, so coming over here is keeping me motivated to keep pushing hard and not get sidetracked. Also, no team overseas will ever be interested in me via email – I have to get out and start showing my name and that I can be worthy of a job.”

The opening Pro Motocross rounds will see a large presence of Australian riders in attendance, with full-time contenders Hunter Lawrence (Geico Honda) and Dean Ferris (Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing) set to make their debuts in the series, while Todd Waters, Todd’s teammate at DPH, will also challenge the first three rounds.

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Former MX2 world champion Pauls Jonass emerged with his maiden premier class podium at the MXGP of Lombardia on Sunday, signifying a ‘very special moment’ for the Latvian as he stood alongside nine-time world champion Antonio Cairoli (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) on the rostrum.

The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rookie has been making steady progress in his debut campaign, coming back from ACL surgery completed during the off-season.

Jonass lodged a highly-impressive 3-2 scorecard at the Italian venue in rain-soaked conditions, granting him runner-up honours to points leader Cairoli.

“This weekend has been really great,” Jonass expressed. “I think the qualification race, even if I didn’t get the result I hoped for, was really important for me. Getting a good start and running close to the front really gave me a lot of confidence, which I took into today’s racing. Of course, the track was muddy, but I like the mud, so I felt good.

“I didn’t get perfect starts, but I managed to make some quick passes and avoid making any big mistakes. Getting the runner-up result in the first moto felt so, so good. The track was a little more one-lined in the second moto but again I felt good. I felt like I was a little quicker than Bogers but I got sideways a few times trying to pass him, so I decided not to take any more chances and just settle down.

“Getting a good overall result is much more important. To finish second overall, to get my first MXGP podium, to be stood on the box with Cairoli, it’s a very special moment for me. I feel like something has clicked in a positive way now with racing a 450. I’m not at 100 percent yet but I’m feeling a lot more confident and this result gives me a lot of motivation to keep working hard.”

The 22-year-old sits eighth in the MXGP World Championship standings as the series returns to action this weekend at Agueda in Portugal.

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Australian contender Jed Beaton says he’s ‘gutted’ by missing out on a podium opportunity at the weekend’s fifth round of the 2019 MX2 World Championship hosted in Mantova, Italy, where he crashed out of top three contention in the final encounter.

The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing talent, who has two career podiums to his name in the world championship, charged to an impressive moto one result of P3 in rain-soaked conditions.

His plans for a season-first appearance on the rostrum were derailed in race two, as the Tasmanian crashed heavily in a patch of mud while vying for position in the top three. He remounted to salvage a spirited P17 finish, granting the number 14 seventh overall.

“All I can say is I’m gutted about yesterday,” Beaton stated. “Third in the first moto and battling for a podium position in the second moto, hit a mud patch and went down hard. Waking up today feeling like I went two rounds with big Mike Tyson, but we good.”

The performance still marks the former Australian MX2 champion’s best result of the 2019 season after he missed the season-opening round in Argentina with multiple vertebrae fractures.

Compatriot Mitch Evans (Team Honda 114 Motorsports) wound up just shy of the podium in fourth overall, lodging an 8-6 scorecard in the demanding conditions. The win was ultimately taken out by reigning world champion Jorge Prado (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).

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Australian Mitch Evans finished just shy of the overall podium at Mantova’s fifth round of the 2019 MX2 World Championship in Lombardia, Italy, over the weekend.

In rain-soaked conditions, the Team Honda 114 Motorsports rider put on a strong display of riding as he pieced together an 8-6 scorecard for fourth overall.

It’s the Queenslander’s best overall placing since the season opener at Argentina in March, which saw him emerge with a stunning podium while making his debut in the world championship.

The number 43 has since recorded a string of steady results inside the top 10 during his rookie season, positioning him eighth in the championship rankings as the series resumes this weekend at Agueda in Portugal.

Compatriot Jed Beaton (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) also put in a glowing performance at Mantova, however his overall result was hindered by a heavy fall in race two. He salvaged 17th in the encounter, and paired with an exceptional third in the opening race, he was credited seventh overall.