MXGP bombshell: Febvre and Kawasaki to part ways—Is a Ducati deal in the works?

Romain Febvre and Kawasaki to part ways at the end of the 2026 MXGP World Championship. Rumors about a future with Ducati are swirling.

If confirmed, it would be a major coup in the rider market. Today’s news is that Romain Febvre, a veteran of the Motocross World Championship and the reigning MXGP world champion, and Kawasaki will part ways at the end of 2026. Rumors about the French champion have been circulating for some time: his name has been linked to Ducati, and it even seems Febvre has already carried out a test on the Desmo450 MX Factory with excellent feedback. Still according to unconfirmed reports, he would team up with Andrea Bonacorsi, while Calvin Vlaanderen is said to be close to bidding farewell to the Red team. There is no official word from Ducati yet, but attention is certainly growing after the official, this time confirmed, announcement of the end of the collaboration with Kawasaki following seven years as frontrunners in MXGP.

Since joining the Kawasaki team in 2020, Romain has achieved outstanding results, claiming the gold medal in the MXGP World Championship in 2025 and two silver medals in 2021 and 2023. With thirteen overall wins across thirteen rounds and twenty-eight moto victories in the MXGP Championship, he climbed the podium for the fifty-fifth time in Kawasaki colors during the recent British GP aboard the factory KX450-SR. Kawasaki extends its heartfelt thanks to the French rider for his extraordinary collaboration, one of the longest ever between the company and a rider.

“In a few months it will be time to part ways with Kawasaki after so many seasons in green and, of course, so many memories, so many good results, and so many successes together,” said Romain Febvre. “A large part of my career will forever be tied to Kawasaki; we’ve been together for seven years, which is a long time in a rider’s career. We achieved our ultimate goal, the world title last year, after fighting for the crown in 2021 – my first season with Kawasaki – and again in 2023. I’ve always had fantastic people around me since I signed with Kawasaki. We developed a new bike in 2023 and missed the title by just a few points. Unfortunately, I suffered an injury in 2024, but in the end we clinched the title. This year we’ll fight for the podium again; obviously the goal is to win another GP against strong rivals, but we’re here and my motivation is always the same: to race for the very best!”

Farewells and thanks are not lacking: “I want to thank everyone who has worked with me from day one. First of all, the former KRT team of Thierry Chizat Suzzoni and the new KRT team with Antti Pyrhonen, and of course Japan, which trusted me and always welcomed me with a positive attitude.” He concluded with a clear nod to what seems a settled future—perhaps official news won’t be far off. “Next year I’ll open a new chapter in my career, I’ll take on a new challenge, and that’s exactly what I need at my age to give my very best. But the season isn’t over yet, and until the final race I will definitely give it everything.”

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