Frenchman Romain Febvre dominated theCzech MXGP at Loket, winning the qualifying race and both motos to take his first victory there since 2015. But it was Tim Gajser who extended his championship lead by taking two safe second places, stealing a handful of points from title rival Jeremy Seewer who was third overall despite leading both motos.

Febvre said: “The road was really long getting here. It was a perfect weekend and I’m happy about my riding. My speed was good and I have worked hard for 1-1.”

Gajser said: “I’m quite happy as yesterday we struggled on the hard track. Today in the races I felt quite OK. Romain was really fast so well done to him.”

Seewer, third in both motos, now trails Gajser by 177 points with five rounds remaining. Seewer said: “I had perfect starts all weekend but Romain was on another level all weekend. He was so relaxed.

“I struggled in practice but turned it around for the races. That’s my third podium in a row so I’m happy.”

Gautier Paulin took fourth with a pair of fourth place finishes, from Jeremy Van Horebeek and Pauls Jonass.

It wasn’t the best day for the Brits, especially Tommy Searle who was drafted into the factory Kawasaki team and was sixth in qualifying on Saturday. He didn’t have the best start in race one but took 12th, one spot behind Shaun Simpson while Max Anstie was best Brit in eighth.

In the second moto, Sealre gated fifth and battled hard with Arnaud Tonus for the first few laps until the Kawasaki man crashed out. He remounted and rode hard but then fell again and retired with no points, giving him 1th overall.

Anstie again had a bad start in moto two and was tenth for ninth overall while Simpson was 14th for 13th overall.

In the MX2 class, former British champion Adam Sterry was no match for double race winner Jorge Prado but took his Kawasaki to a fine second place in the final moto. It’s his best ever GP result. He battled past his team-mate Henry Jacobi, who he’d clashed with recently, to take the runner-up spot but a first race sixth meant Sterry was fourth overall – missing the podium by a single point.

Prado’s double win means he now has a 94-point lead over Thomas Kjer Olsen, third on the day behind German Jacobi.