Image: Octopi Media.

Austin Forkner has described his rivalry with Dylan Ferrandis (Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing) as just racing despite coming off second-best to the Frenchman on consecutive weekends at San Diego’s Monster Energy Supercross.

Forkner has taken an understanding position on their heated battles over the last two weekends, explaining the nature and competitiveness of the 250SX West championship doesn’t allow for giving track space to rivals.

The Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider led a number of laps in the main event, ultimately losing out to Ferrandis to take home runner-up honours.

“You’re that close – it’s inches, hundredths of seconds and everything’s that close, which it has been for the last couple of weeks and all season,” Forkner explained. “Last weekend we would inch away, catch up – we all had our fast parts on the track.

“What’s he going to do? Follow me? You can’t. If you have this much, you have to take it – that’s what I did with Mosiman when I rode by him for the main – honestly, I jumped into the inside I didn’t know if I was going to make the pass. But I had to try – he (Ferrandis) was behind me, so I had to try. It’s racing – if you guys are close, you have to throw it in sometimes.”

Forkner sits third in the series standings as the 250SX West category returns to action on 28 March in Seattle.