2025

The celebrations before he went over the top 😂

Swipe 👈 for #WheelieWednesday with #WarsawSGP Winner Jason Doyle ✊

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The #SGPAcademy is going down under!! 🦘

After the success of its launch here in Europe, #SGPLegends and riders are teaming up to inspire and teach the next generation of Australian Speedway Talent! 🔥

Find out more via the link in our bio and stories 🔗

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ABSOLUTELY AUS-SOME 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

@jasondoyle69 went a bit overboard when he won his first #SGP round since 2017 this year at the #WarsawSGP 🇵🇱

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It's early morning and you've just got the call... 📲

1 Round, anywhere on the race calendar, where do you dream to step up and take on the worlds best? ⚔️

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50,000 screaming fans in the PGE Narodowy 🤩

Experience an event like no other with the #WarsawSGP in FULL on our Youtube page THIS Friday at 17:00 GMT 👀

Watch along with us and grab your 2025 tickets via the link in our bio 🎟️

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Time for some blind ranking!! 🙈

How would you rate some of the top #SGP riders in history? 🤔

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THIS WAS A DISASTER for @leonmadsendk 😓

“A school boy error” saw him excluded after turning up
to the tapes in the wrong helmet colour 💥

#FIMSpeedwayGP | #WarsawSGP 🇵🇱
#SpeedwayGP #racing #motorsport #motorcycle
#bikes

Looking back at when we took over the Polish Capital 🇵🇱🏆🇵🇱

Australia hit out with back-to-back wins in the first two rounds of the year as @jasondoyle69 took home gold at the #WarsawSGP 🔥

Tickets for 2025 are on sale now via the link in our bio 🎟️

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WHAT A YEAR 🙌

Take a look at some of the key figures from a historic year in #SGP 📈

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What a weekend this was at the 2024 #CroatianSGP 🇭🇷

Take a look back at some of our favourite snaps from our time in Donji Kraljevec 📸 

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OlyBet FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga

Latvia

WWK FIM Speedway GP of Germany – Landshut

Germany

Orlen Oil FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Warsaw

Poland

FIM Speedway GP of Czech Republic – Prague

Czechia

ATPI FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain – Manchester R4

Great Britain

ATPI FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain – Manchester R5

Events.com FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Gorzow

Virkvarn FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla

Sweden

DeWalt FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Wroclaw

Deluxe Homeart FIM Speedway GP of Denmark – Vojens

Denmark

2025 SGP standings

German trailblazer Celina Liebmann admits the competition is only getting tougher as she prepares to defend her FIM Women’s Speedway Gold Trophy in Croatia on Saturday.The Bavarian star is taking part in the two-day FIM Women’s Speedway Academy at Speedway Stadion Milenium in Donji Kraljevec, which got underway on Thursday and continues today, where four-time Speedway GP world champion Greg Hancock and British former FIM Long Track world team champion Glen Phillips are giving 17 women a masterclass on the track.The riders will also take part in classroom sessions covering topics including bike setup and maintenance, fitness and nutrition, the rules and anti-doping, rider welfare and media training.A total of 13 riders aged 16 or over, including stars from Germany, Denmark, Poland, Great Britain, Australia, Slovakia and the Netherlands, will then compete on 500cc bikes in the second edition of the FIM Women’s Speedway Gold Trophy on Saturday, with <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/news/german-hero-liebmann-lands-first-ever-fim-womens-speedway-gold-trophy">Liebmann defending the title she won on home soil in Teterow, Germany last summer</a>.Courtesy of FIM Speedway global promoter Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, this year’s winner will be invited to attend the <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/rounds/olybet-fim-speedway-gp-of-latvia-riga">OlyBet FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga on August 2</a> and the <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/rounds/dewalt-fim-sgp2-of-latvia-riga">DeWalt FIM SGP2 of Latvia – Riga for the sport’s top under-21 stars on August 1</a>.Liebmann has competed with some of the sport’s top male riders and featured in two FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship rounds in Czech capital Prague and Polish city Torun in 2022.While she has established herself as the sport’s No.1 female rider, she admits the competition is only getting tougher in an event that it is hoped will gain full FIM world-championship status in the near future.&nbsp;She said: “There are a few girls, and especially the girls from Germany, who have learned a lot in the last year. They are pretty fast, and I am happy that everyone here has improved.“Obviously we want to see a full world championship someday, so it’s good that everyone is improving. The FIM is working and needs to push the women, but it is also on the women to ride and show that we are good enough and that women can ride speedway. I think everybody is really excited and keen for the Gold Trophy and I will give it a go.”<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/396570/conversions/AB1W8790-large.jpg"/>Liebmann admits she must overcome an injury if she is to lift the title again. But there was no way she was missing her biggest event of the season.&nbsp;The 23-year-old revealed: “I have a muscle problem in my left hip, so I can’t really lift the left leg. Every corner entrance is a big struggle.“I haven’t ridden for two and a half months because I wanted to be fit for this event. I want to defend my title. I would love to win it again and it will be hard with the injury, but it’s the most important event of the year.“It would mean everything to lift the trophy because the injury is really big, and I can’t really ride like I do normally. It would mean a lot to me.”<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/396500/conversions/AB1W8779-large.jpg"/>Liebmann is joined on track by Dutch star Nynke Sijbesma, who finished second in last year’s FIM Women’s Speedway Gold Trophy. It was a bittersweet night for the student nurse, who crashed out of the final, suffering a broken elbow. This year, she hopes to get a second chance to stand on the podium.She said: “It was really sad that after that achievement, I couldn’t really celebrate it on the podium. But I am definitely trying to get that kind of result again and hopefully I will be able to celebrate it.”Sijbesma says her 2024 result has inspired her to continue pushing herself on the track, even if her injury still hampers her at times.She added: “Being second last year pushed me in the sense that I know I am able to do it. I absolutely didn’t expect it at first. Going into the meeting, I was very open-minded. I knew I was capable of doing something, but after that achievement, I was amazingly happy.“But I got an injury at the end of last year’s Gold Trophy – I broke my elbow in four places. That was the end of my season, and I couldn’t race again in 2024.“I have a lot of screws and plates in my elbow right now. It was quite a long journey to be able to recover. The injury has been holding me back a little. I have been racing grasstrack a little and on the tougher tracks, my elbow still hurts. But in speedway, it’s fine.”&nbsp;<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/480299/conversions/469456415_9068539463198421_4993571713619757503_n-large.jpg"/>Rachel Hellowell finished fifth in Teterow last year and the Yorkshire-born, Scottish-based star is delighted to fly the British flag once again.She said: “Every time people say I am representing Great Britain, it gives me shivers. That’s a crazy statement to hear! It’s absolutely great to be back. The track is fantastic, and they have done a fantastic job of putting everything on so far. It’s great to be a part of it.“There are a lot of strong contenders out there and it’s so exciting to see. People have obviously progressed from last year and that’s what this is all about.“I will certainly try to improve on last year. I don’t want to do any worse – let’s put it that way. I’ll take what I can get and just enjoy the experience.”&nbsp;<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/382542/conversions/2023_0714_004_Armando-Castagna-large.JPG"/>FIM Track Racing Commission (CCP) director Armando Castagna is pleased with the FIM Women’s Speedway Academy so far and expects a higher standard of competition in the FIM Women’s Speedway Gold Trophy on Saturday. The Italian hopes it will be the next step in moves to transform the event into speedway’s first full world championship for women.He said: “Working together, the FIM Track Racing Commission and the FIM Women's Commission (CFM) will ask the FIM board if we can deliver an FIM Women’s Speedway World Championship. We will also ask them to implement a 250cc FIM Women’s Speedway Gold Trophy to ensure our under-16 riders have the opportunity to be part of this project.“First of all, we wanted to be sure that we had the numbers. I always said that when we have at least 12 good riders - and I think it looks like we have that - in my opinion, we are ready.“When you run a Gold Trophy, of course it is prestigious, but when you upgrade the competition to a World Championship, that’s another level. It always attracts more people and riders because everyone wants to be a world champion – that is the dream of every rider.“I am really proud and happy with how the academy went on the first day. The FIM and our hosts in Croatia, the Pavlic family and their team, are working perfectly together.“The good riders we had last year … We can see they have lifted their level. But the best thing is we have seen a big improvement from some of the beginners from last year. I’m really happy because I think we are starting a scenario with the women in speedway, which is looking bright.“Celina will have some competition on Saturday. We know she has been a pioneer; she is the best and I am sure she is the favourite. But considering that she hasn’t been on the bike for a couple of months, it could be an open competition.”&nbsp;<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/361370/conversions/liebmann_44_8605-ok-large.jpg"/>FIM Women’s Commission (CFM) director Janika Judeika is pleased to see the sport’s top female stars show their skills on the track once again as the FIM Women’s Speedway Academy continues to grow three years on from the first edition in Diedenbergen, Germany in 2022.She said: “Starting this project was a clear message to the world that there are women who want to race, and we need to find a place for them to do that.“In organising these FIM Women’s Speedway Academies, it was a chance to start to work with national federations to encourage them to look for women who want to ride, so that they could send them to the academies.“With every academy and every year, we see the riders’ level improve. What we are seeing is the fruits of their work. We give the women as much as we can over the two days – on and off the track. Then the job has to be done by them, and they need to work over the whole year.&nbsp;“It’s super good to see their performance compared to last year. Now the gap between the fastest and the slowest is reduced. I think this is proof of what this academy can bring to the sport.”Laura Manciet, FIM Speedway World Championships director for Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, is pleased to be in attendance in Croatia and underlined the FIM Speedway global promoter’s desire to raise the profile of the sport’s female stars.She said: “It’s fantastic to be back in Croatia for the FIM Women’s Speedway Academy and I am really looking forward to the second edition of the FIM Women’s Speedway Gold Trophy on Saturday.“Warner Bros. Discovery Sports is delighted to join forces with our partners at the FIM to shine a spotlight on this event because it would be fantastic to see it grow and become a full world championship in the near future.“Last year’s first Gold Trophy was historic – the first event of its kind in our sport. The standard of competition is improving and it’s clear all of the women involved have put in a lot of hard work. I can’t wait to see them compete on Saturday afternoon. I also look forward to welcoming the winner as our guest to Riga in August.”&nbsp;FIM WOMEN’S SPEEDWAY GOLD TROPHY LINE-UP: 179. Jenny Apfelbeck (Germany) 13. Alina Sassenhagen (Germany) 838. Katja Stoffer Jorgensen (Denmark) 272. Martyna Mróz (Poland) 887. Hannah Grunwald (Germany) 202. Anna Hajková (Slovakia) 15. Mascha Schwend (Germany) 36. Rachel Hellowell (Great Britain) 324. Patricia Erhart (Germany) 289. Celina Liebmann (Germany) 81. Nynke Sijbesma (Netherlands) 208. Louise Funch Larsen (Denmark) 89. Tayla Street (Australia)&nbsp;

COMPETITION FIERCE AS GERMAN PIONEER LIEBMANN DEFENDS FIM WOMEN’S SPEEDWAY GOLD TROPHY IN CROATIA

Coaches Tony Rickardsson, Greg Hancock and Linus Sundstrom were delighted with their latest class of FIM SGP Academy stars after 18 riders from eight different countries took part in the event at Swedish club Malilla last week.The second FIM SGP Academy of 2025 saw riders aged 11-15, riding youth bikes ranging from 85cc to the 190cc SGP4 bike under the guidance of six-time FIM Speedway world champion Rickardsson and four-time Speedway GP world champion Hancock, as well as Swedish national coach Sundstrom, who won the 2015 FIM Speedway World Cup.As well as on-track coaching in areas like cornering, starting and passing, riders took part in classroom sessions covering aspects of the sport including regulations, bike preparation, media and social media, sponsorship, fitness and health.Riders representing host nation Sweden, the United States, Germany, Denmark, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Romania and Finland all took part in an event staged in partnership between FIM Speedway global promoter Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, the FIM and Swedish governing body SVEMO.Rickardsson was delighted with the progress his students made and looks forward to continuing to develop the FIM SGP Academy project ahead of <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/rounds/fim-sgp-academy-torun-date-tbc">the third and final event in Torun, Poland</a>, which is part of <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/son">FIM Speedway of Nations week, which runs from September 30 until October 4</a>.<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/480214/conversions/4891-large.jpg"/>The Swedish legend said: “We had some very hectic days. We mostly spent time on the racetrack. Everybody did a lot of laps. We went through corner techniques, sliding techniques, starting techniques and also tactics – how to pass people and set up for a pass. The track time was fantastic. We also had some good hours in the classroom. It was a full and hectic weekend.“We had eight different nationalities and 18 kids riding the bikes. It was a super good feeling that we had so many languages in the pits.“The help from Greg and Linus was fantastic. Getting one-on-one time with each rider is so important. It’s not straightforward to coach these young kids. All of them are unique and need to have special guidance.“We are learning a lot by running these academies. We are keeping all the parts that have been successful, and we keep adding new parts to the programme all the time. This is a programme that will continually be better. That’s our aim. This has been the best one so far, and hopefully the next one will be even better.“I really hope we will have as many young and enthusiastic families at the next FIM SGP Academy in Torun, so bring it on!”<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/480215/conversions/5454-large.jpg"/>Hancock’s youngest son Karl, 12, was among the riders, and the Californian icon is pleased with how the FIM SGP Academy project has developed since he coached at the very first one in Prague last year.&nbsp;He’s also glad to see more riders honing their skills on the 190cc bike, designed by Rickardsson for <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/sgp4">SGP4, a competition for 11-13-year-olds, which was launched in 2023 and has gained world-championship status for this season</a>.&nbsp;He said: “It’s amazing. From the first academy that I was part of, it’s incredible to see how much this has advanced, how much they are building up and how many more kids are coming – all with different ideas and riding styles.“I think what Tony is doing with WBD and the FIM is the key to the future. We are starting to see more of these 190cc SGP4 bikes coming into play, and I think it’s going to continue to spread and become a mark of the future – with every federation having 190cc bikes, 250cc bikes, 500cc bikes simultaneously.“It has been a great few days and I have really been impressed with how it has grown. The level is moving up all the time. All I would say to the youngsters coming into it is ‘tell your friends – we want more!’”<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/480216/conversions/hancock4963-large.jpg"/>Sundstrom runs the <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/news/sundstroms-swedish-speedway-academy-steps-up-for-2025">Swedish Speedway Academy</a> as he bids to inspire the next generation of riders to follow him into the sport, and he was delighted to be part of a much bigger team to deliver the FIM SGP Academy.He said: “It was my first guest appearance at the FIM SGP Academy, and I am overwhelmed with the progress the riders made, how much respect they show each other and how hungry they are to get out on the track. It seems like you can’t tire them out; they just want to keep going and going and going. It was a brilliant few days.“When I run the Swedish Speedway Academy, I am responsible for all the food, the ambulances, the track staff and making sure everything is working. I am doing all of that on my own. Here I just turned up and coached!“It was fun to help out the smaller kids. You can see such big steps forward in a short timeframe. I enjoyed every second of it.”&nbsp;<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/480217/conversions/rickardsson6942-large.jpg"/><img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/480218/conversions/sundstroem6970-large.jpg"/>FIM Track Racing Commission (CCP) director Armando Castagna commented: “It was great to see so many talented young riders on track in Malilla and I thank everyone involved in making the latest edition of the FIM SGP Academy possible – WBD Sports, SVEMO and our coaches Tony, Greg and Linus.“The FIM SGP Academies continue to evolve and grow, and we look forward to seeing more riders from more nations taking part in the coming years.”Laura Manciet, FIM Speedway World Championships director for WBD Sports, added: “It was a real pleasure to see our young riders progress and enjoy themselves over a great few days in Malilla. Hopefully this is only the first time we see them in action at FIM Speedway events and they will compete in SGP4 and SGP3 in the coming years, before one day racing in Speedway GP and SGP2.“I want to thank Tony, Greg and Linus, who worked tirelessly as coaches to deliver a great programme of activities, along with everyone from the FIM, SVEMO and our WBD Sports team who made the FIM SGP Academy possible.“We are already looking forward to the final academy of 2025 at the FIM Speedway of Nations in Torun, and I can’t wait to see our next group of young riders enjoy this hugely valuable experience.”<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/480219/conversions/4748-large.jpg"/>

COACHES RICKARDSSON, HANCOCK AND SUNDSTROM HAIL SUCCESSFUL FIM SGP ACADEMY IN SWEDEN

Latvian racer Jevgenijs Kostigovs makes his long-awaited FIM Speedway Grand Prix debut when he lines up as OlyBet FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga wild card on Saturday, August 2.After serving as a non-riding track reserve at the 2015 and 2017 Latvian rounds in Daugavpils, Kostigovs finally takes on the best riders in the world over at least five rides in Latvia’s biggest speedway event.Kostigovs is no stranger to World Championship competition, having represented Latvia in both the FIM Speedway World Cup and FIM Speedway of Nations. He was part of last year’s historic side, which raced to the country’s second world team final in three years at the 2024 FIM SON in Manchester.The 29-year-old is enjoying a fine campaign for Latvian club Lokomotiv Daugavpils, which races in Poland’s National League. With an average of over two points per race, he is the team’s top performer so far this season.His appearance in the OlyBet FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga is undoubtedly the biggest meeting of his career so far. He will be determined to join Latvia’s European champion and former Daugavpils teammate Andzejs Lebedevs in turning up the volume at Bikernieki.The Speedway GP line-up is completed by track reserves Francis Gusts and Olegs Mihailovs, who wear the No.17 and No.18 race jackets respectively.<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/480211/conversions/kaulins5513-large.jpg"/>Latvia’s biggest weekend of racing also features the <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/rounds/dewalt-fim-sgp2-of-latvia-riga">DeWalt FIM SGP2 of Latvia – Riga on Friday, August 1</a>, and the host nation will be represented by wild card Nikita Kaulins.The 20-year-old takes the No.16 race jacket for round two of the FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship series. Like Kostigovs, he competes for Daugavpils in the Polish National League. He also represented Latvia in <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/results/2024-fim-speedway-of-nations-son2">FIM Speedway of Nations – SON2</a> – the world under-21 team championship – in Manchester last summer.Kaulins is joined in the Riga SGP2 line-up by track reserves Damirs Filimonovs and Artjoms Juhno, who don the No.17 and No.18 race jackets respectively.Limited tickets for a huge weekend of racing in the Latvian capital are still available online. Book your tickets <a href="https://www.bilesuparadize.lv/en/custompage/4875">HERE</a> now.

SPEEDWAY GP DEBUT FOR LATVIAN RACER KOSTIGOVS IN RIGA

Czech charger Jan Kvech has his first FIM Speedway Grand Prix final in his sights after taking sixth spot at the Virkvarn FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla last Saturday.The Prague racer racked up 11 championship points after finishing second to world champion Bartosz Zmarzlik in the first last-chance qualifier.This was Kvech’s best points haul of 2025 and leaves him 10th in the Speedway GP World Championship standings on 49 points – just 10 short of the top-seven automatic qualification places with three rounds to race.Having reached four LCQs in the last five rounds, the King’s Lynn and Torun rider has plenty to build on. While he admits a shoulder injury suffered in a collision with Jason Doyle at the Events.com FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Gorzow on June 21 is still hampering him on the track, Kvech believes his first SGP final is in sight.He said: “I know if I feel a little bit better, I can be a little bit faster. It’s time to go to the final. I have made some last-chance heats, but I want to race, be in the final and fight for first position.“I am very happy with the result in Malilla and sixth place, but I know it could be a little bit better. I still don’t feel comfortable on the bike after my crash in Gorzow. But everything is working, and I know I just need a little more recovery.“I have a problem with the shoulder. On this bumpy track, I still felt big pain, but I still wanted to race and fight hard, and I did my best.“I have always liked tracks like Malilla. When I am not feeling 100 percent, I am much happier when the track is smooth. But it’s the World Championship and we need to be able to race on every track and in different weather. That’s what makes a world champion.”

FINAL FLOURISH FOR KVECH?

Aussie racer Brady Kurtz admits he was pleased to prove his first FIM Speedway Grand Prix victory “wasn’t a fluke” after making it back-to-back wins at the Virkvarn FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla on Saturday.After claiming his maiden victory at the <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/results/eventscom-fim-speedway-gp-of-poland-gorzow">Events.com FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Gorzow on June 21</a>, Kurtz repeated the feat in Sweden’s biggest speedway event.Kurtz – <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/sgp/standings">second in the Speedway GP World Championship standings</a> on 122 points – topped the podium ahead of five-time Speedway GP world champion Bartosz Zmarzlik, who has 131, to close the Pole’s series lead from 11 points to nine with <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/sgp/calendar">just three rounds remaining</a>.&nbsp;Great Britain’s Dan Bewley finished third – completing a carbon copy of the Gorzow podium two weeks earlier.After beating Zmarzlik on his boyhood track in Gorzow, Kurtz was elated to follow it up with another win in Malilla, where Kurtz raced for Swedish giants Dackarna from 2022 until last year.While he admits his first Speedway GP win two weeks ago will always be the most cherished, the Australian champion was delighted to prove he could back up that big performance in Gorzow with more glory in Malilla.&nbsp;He said: “Winning in Gorzow was pretty special. I think that’s the one I will definitely remember. But winning twice is great – more so because I know the first one wasn’t a fluke. That’s the coolest part in my mind – that I could win again.&nbsp;"It was nice to do it here in Sweden on kind of my home track. I raced here for a few years, and it was nice to be back.”&nbsp;<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/479246/conversions/FINALKurtzCelebrates0686-large.jpg"/><a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/news/speedway-gp-qualifying-cancelled-in-malilla">The afternoon Qualifying session was cancelled</a> as rain fell in Malilla at regular points throughout the day. But Kurtz is gaining a strong reputation for big performances in the wet – a reputation enhanced by his <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/news/kurtz-thomsen-kubera-fricke-defy-rain-to-storm-into-speedway-gp-for-2025">victory at a very damp 2024 FIM SGP Challenge at Czech club Pardubice</a> to qualify for Speedway GP last October.Kurtz insists he was never going to be concerned about a wet track. He said: “I love it! I have ridden at Belle Vue for quite a few years in a row. We race in the rain a lot in Britain. I just kind of like to get on with it.“I went for the track walk, went back to my pits, told the boys what setup we were going to use and away we went.”&nbsp;<iframe width="100%" height="400" src="https://youtube.com/embed/vvjCdBc1x4w" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>Kurtz won five of his six races at the Skrotfrag Arena and was only denied a six-ride maximum when heat 11 was stopped with him leading the first staging of the race. He eventually finished third and feared that misfortune was going to be repeated when the final was also halted following a crash for fourth-placed Jason Doyle on turn four.&nbsp;But Kurtz hit the front with a fine start in the rerun, while Zmarzlik was forced to fight his way past Bewley for second place.&nbsp;Belle Vue and Wroclaw star Kurtz said: “There’s nothing worse than seeing the red lights come on when you are in front. But luckily, I made another good start. It was a difficult track – that’s for sure. I was doing some funny stuff out in front. But I managed to hang on.”Kurtz knows Zmarzlik’s nine-point advantage in the Speedway GP world title race could be closed or extended rapidly if either rider fails to reach a final at the remaining rounds in <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/rounds/olybet-fim-speedway-gp-of-latvia-riga">Latvian capital Riga on August 2</a>, <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/rounds/dewalt-fim-speedway-gp-of-poland-wroclaw">Polish city Wroclaw on August 30</a> and <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/rounds/deluxe-homeart-fim-speedway-gp-of-denmark-vojens">Danish venue Vojens on September 13</a>.Both men have reached six finals in the first seven rounds and Kurtz is keen to keep up the pressure in his quest to become the first rider in the series’ 30-year history to win the world title in their Speedway GP debut season.“Closing the gap is the goal,” he said. “I am not sure what to think about the next track in Riga. I have never seen it. But I will try to learn quickly like I have done on all of the other tracks. We will go for the free practice and hopefully find something that’s working, and we’ll go from there.”&nbsp;<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/479248/conversions/FINALKurtzBewley0522-large.jpg"/>Runner-up Zmarzlik battled his way through the last-chance qualifiers to take his place in the final, winning LCQ1 with an astonishing first lap to hit the front and guarantee he left with top spot in Speedway GP tonight.&nbsp;The Lublin and Lejonen rider was pleased with a brilliant battling performance.&nbsp;He said: “This was not a bad night, but for me and my team, this was really hard work. I’m happy that I got on the podium and took second place; it’s a really nice feeling. I didn’t have the best day, but I am still on the podium, and I am happy about this one because it was hard work.”&nbsp;<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/479250/conversions/bzmarzlik-nilsson204145-large.jpg"/>Like Kurtz, third-placed Bewley is also a former Dackarna rider and adapted superbly to the wet conditions to deliver his third Speedway GP podium in four rounds, which leaves him fourth on 97 points – just two behind Swedish star Fredrik Lindgren, who is third on 99.The Cumbrian said: “To be honest, the track wasn’t too bad. I thought it was actually pretty good. I raced here for a couple of seasons and it’s always a pretty special track here. It’s pretty unique. Every week when we came here in the Swedish league, the track was a little bit different. That kept you on your toes. I felt like I had nice speed. It’s nice to come back here – I always like it.”&nbsp;<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/479251/conversions/Bewley6722-large.jpg"/>While Bewley says his focus is on winning Speedway GPs in the closing rounds of the season, he is firmly in contention for his first-ever World Championship medal. But with around a month until round eight in Riga on August 2, he insisted: “It’s one meeting at a time for me.&nbsp;“If we can keep making finals, we will see what happens. I have been a lot more consistent this year, so I am happy with that.”

NO FLUKE FOR AUSSIE ACE KURTZ

Aussie racer Brady Kurtz stepped up his pursuit of title rival Bartosz Zmarzlik by taking his second straight FIM Speedway Grand Prix victory in the Virkvarn FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla on Saturday night.Kurtz made a triumphant return to his former Bauhaus Elitserien home track, winning four of his five heats to reach the final as top scorer. He then took victory ahead of Poland’s five-time Speedway GP world champion Zmarzlik, who was second after passing Britain’s Dan Bewley going into lap two.To complete a carbon copy of the <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/results/eventscom-fim-speedway-gp-of-poland-gorzow">Events.com FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Gorzow podium on June 21</a>, Bewley claimed third place.Aussie star Jason Doyle continued his recent resurgence, reaching his first final of 2025 and finishing fourth, with a crash on the first lap of the final costing him a podium place.Kurtz is now just nine points behind Zmarzlik in the Speedway GP World Championship race with three rounds remaining in Latvian capital Riga on August 2, Polish city Wroclaw on August 30 and Danish venue Vojens on September 13.View the full Speedway GP World Championship standings <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/sgp/standings">HERE</a>.Click <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/results/virkvarn-fim-speedway-gp-of-sweden-malilla">HERE</a> for tonight’s Virkvarn FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla results in full.Full report to follow later.

AUSSIE STAR KURTZ CLOSES GAP IN SPEEDWAY GP WORLD TITLE RACE WITH MALILLA WIN

Qualifying for the Virkvarn FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla this afternoon has been cancelled.The decision was taken by the FIM Jury to protect the racing surface for this evening’s Speedway GP event following rain this morning.Tonight’s Virkvarn FIM Swedish Speedway GP is still scheduled to get underway as planned at 19:00 CEST / 18:00 UK time. Starting positions will now be decided by a random draw, conducted by the FIM.Tickets for Sweden’s biggest night of speedway are still available online. Secure your spot at the Skrotfrag Arena <a href="https://secure.tickster.com/sv/ck48v99fhl8p4my/selectproductgroup">HERE</a> now.The Virkvarn FIM Swedish Speedway GP fanzone is open from 12:00 CEST with a packed programme of entertainment for the whole family. You can find the schedule <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/rounds/virkvarn-fim-speedway-gp-of-sweden-malilla">HERE</a>.&nbsp;

SPEEDWAY GP QUALIFYING CANCELLED IN MALILLA

Australian racer Brady Kurtz insists he has plenty of work to do to secure a World Championship medal and says his only focus is going for gold ahead of the Virkvarn FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla this Saturday.Kurtz returns to the Skrotfrag Arena, where he raced for Swedish giants Dackarna in 2024, bidding to close the <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/sgp/standings">11-point gap between him and Speedway GP series leader Bartosz Zmarzlik</a>, with the Pole on 113 and Kurtz on 102.Swedish hero Fredrik Lindgren heads into round seven placed third in the championship on 87 points – buoyed by reaching four Speedway GP finals on the bounce as he seeks his first win of 2025 in front of a partisan home crowd in the forests of Malilla, where he is joined by <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/news/swedish-star-nilsson-makes-malilla-return">Swedish wild card Kim Nilsson</a>. Latvia's Andzejs Lebedevs represents host club Dackarna in the event.Last year’s FIM SGP Challenge winner <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/news/aussie-star-kurtz-wins-injury-battle-to-claim-first-speedway-gp-victory-in-gorzow">Kurtz raced to his maiden Speedway GP victory in Gorzow</a>, Poland on June 21 – beating second-placed Zmarzlik on his boyhood track.Following that event, it was put to the Cowra-born racer that the silver medal was in his hands. But Kurtz scoffed at the suggestion, preferring to continue his quest to become the first rider in the series’ 30-year history to win the Speedway GP World Championship in their debut season.&nbsp;He said: “Silver is very, very far away from being done! The thought of that hasn’t crossed my mind once. I’m still going to be pushing hard in every round for sure – and not only for silver; I am chasing Bartek.”<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/474555/conversions/bzamrzlik-kurtz-bewley3414-large.jpg"/>Kurtz has missed just one of the six Speedway GP finals so far this season, and that was only after he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiDLugd4b5g">lost a chain on the final turn of his last-chance qualifier at round three in Czech capital Prague on May 31</a>. Instead of a guaranteed 14 championship points for reaching the final, the 2024 FIM Speedway of Nations silver medallist was left with seven.That underlines to Kurtz just how quickly an 11-point deficit in the Speedway GP title race could be closed and he’s determined to pile the pressure on Zmarzlik. He said: “One ninth or 10th place or if someone doesn’t make the final, and that’s an easy 10 points made up. It can happen on any night – as it did to me in Prague. I’m going to have to stay focused and keep doing what I am doing.”&nbsp;<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/477139/conversions/Kurtz2824-large.jpg"/>Kurtz spent last season racing his Swedish home matches in Malilla. This season, as well as captaining British champions Belle Vue in Manchester, he competes for <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/rounds/dewalt-fim-speedway-gp-of-poland-wroclaw">Polish club Wroclaw, host for round nine on August 30</a>. However, the 28-year-old has never visited this season’s two other venues – <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/rounds/olybet-fim-speedway-gp-of-latvia-riga">Latvian capital club Riga</a> and <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/rounds/deluxe-homeart-fim-speedway-gp-of-denmark-vojens">Danish venue Vojens</a>.So he’s determined to make his local knowledge count this weekend. He said: “For sure, Malilla and Wroclaw will be good. Riga and Vojens will probably be tough. They are both tracks I haven’t ridden at all. That will be about thinking fast and learning quick again.“It is what it is. No matter what track you go to, you have to be on your game to beat Bartek. I’m going to have to find a way to do it again.”Tickets for the Virkvarn FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla are still available online. Secure your spot at Sweden’s biggest and best weekend of racing <a href="https://secure.tickster.com/sv/ck48v99fhl8p4my/selectproductgroup">HERE</a> now.&nbsp;2025 VIRKVARN FIM SPEEDWAY GP OF SWEDEN – MALILLA LINE-UP: 95. Bartosz Zmarzlik (Poland) 505. Robert Lambert (Great Britain) 66. Fredrik Lindgren (Sweden) 99. Dan Bewley (Great Britain) 54. Martin Vaculik (Slovakia) 25. Jack Holder (Australia) 155. Mikkel Michelsen (Denmark) 415. Dominik Kubera (Poland) 29. Andzejs Lebedevs (Latvia) 46. Max Fricke (Australia) 744. Kai Huckenbeck (Germany) 201. Jan Kvech (Czechia) 69. Jason Doyle (Australia) 105. Anders Thomsen (Denmark) 101. Brady Kurtz (Australia) 16. Kim Nilsson (Sweden – wild card) 17. Rasmus Karlsson (Sweden – first track reserve) 18. Sammy van Dyck (Sweden – second track reserve)&nbsp;<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/477142/conversions/FanPictureLebedevs0347-large.jpg"/>MALILLA FANZONEEnjoy a packed programme of entertainment at the Skrotfrag Arena and visit the Virkvarn FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla fanzone, open from 12:00 CEST on Saturday.Located near the main entrance to the stadium behind bend one, the fanzone features the official Speedway GP autograph session, where fans can meet all 18 riders from 16:30 and grab a signature or selfie.Pick up some exclusive freebies from Monster Energy athletes Fredrik Lindgren, Dan Bewley and Jack Holder at the Monster Energy Rig Riot from 17:00. The Monster Energy area will be open from 12:15.We will have an interview with a special VIP guest from 17:35, and fans can win Speedway GP prizes in our quiz at 15:15.&nbsp;Pose for a photo with the Speedway GP trophy throughout the afternoon and the best of the 2024 SGP events will be playing on the big screen, where fans can also catch all the Qualifying action from 14:00.Meet FIM Speedway mascot Speedy, who will be in the fanzone at 12:30 and 15:30. There will be a vintage speedway bikes exhibition, other photo opportunities, the We Love Speedway sign, food and drink stalls, the Speedway GP merchandise shop and much, much more.The fanzone closes at 18:00 ahead of the opening ceremony at 18:45, with racing getting underway at around 19:00.&nbsp;<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/477143/conversions/FanPictureThomsen0329-large.jpg"/>WHERE TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND: TUNE INTO MAXVirkvarn FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla – Saturday, July 5 at 19:00 CESTFans can catch every moment of FIM Speedway action live on Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming platforms Max, HBO Max or discovery+. Coverage of all nine Speedway GP Qualifying sessions, featuring a brand-new knockout format for 2025, will also be available on these platforms.Max is available in Europe in France, Iberia, the Nordics, Turkey and Central and Eastern Europe. HBO Max is WBD’s streaming platform in Belgium and the Netherlands. And discovery+ is the streaming platform for Germany, Austria, Italy and the United Kingdom ahead of Max launching in these countries in 2026.Coverage of Speedway GP is available worldwide with digital and linear coverage – see below for more details of where to watch.ACROSS EUROPE: Live on Max, HBO Max and discovery+ BRITAIN: Live on discovery+ and TNT Sports POLAND: Live on Max SWEDEN: Live on Kanal 9 and Max DENMARK: Live on 6’eren and Max AUSTRALIA: Live on Fox Sports GERMANY: Live on discovery+ ACROSS THE BALTICS: Live on Go3 and TV3 Sport channels CZECHIA: Live on Max and CT Sport SLOVAKIA: Live on STVR Sport and Max CROATIA: Live on Max USA/Canada: Live on Racer Network AUSTRIA: Live on discovery+ NORWAY: Live on Max FINLAND: Live on Max REST OF THE WORLD: Live on Racer Network&nbsp;

AUSSIE ACE KURTZ’S GOLDEN QUEST

Polish shooting star Wiktor Przyjemski is ready to carry the weight of expectation after storming to a sensational six-ride maximum to win the Virkvarn FIM SGP2 of Sweden – Malilla on Friday.The reigning FIM Speedway Under-21 world champion <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/results/3p-logistics-fim-sgp2-of-sweden-malilla">raced to victory in the 2024 SGP2 series opener in Malilla</a>, and he repeated his triumph in the Swedish forests – this time with <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/results/virkvarn-fim-sgp2-of-sweden-malilla">an outstanding unbeaten display</a>, defying the wet conditions caused by a heavy rain shower after heat 16.The Lublin star was a class apart as he won all five heats to qualify for the final automatically, before holding his nerve to win SGP2 round one ahead of Denmark’s William Drejer in second place, Poland’s Kevin Malkiewicz in third and Ukrainian star Nazar Parnitskyi in fourth spot.Przyjemski was delighted to deliver another magical moment in Malilla. And while the FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship favourite knows the pressure is on him to make it back-to-back SGP2 world titles, he’s ready to use it as a positive.&nbsp;He said: “I will say it how it is. Obviously, there is a little bit of pressure on myself – I am not going to hide it. But it’s good for my head in the league racing and the international events. I feel like I am in good form and that creates a little bit of pressure.“It’s great to be victorious here again. Obviously, I have such a bond with this place after winning here again in Sweden. The track changed a little bit after the rainfall, but I did it.“It went perfectly for me from the very beginning. Even though I won all of the races in the main round, in my mind before the final, I had a lot to think about before the gate selection. I wasn’t sure if I made a good choice, but overall, red was a good choice.”&nbsp;<iframe width="100%" height="400" src="https://youtube.com/embed/hQ4alqcO25Y" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>Runner-up Drejer saw <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/news/sgp2-british-star-thompson-gets-torun-call-up">his 2024 SGP2 season curtailed by a broken collarbone</a>, forcing him out of the final round in Torun, Poland. So he was delighted to bounce back in style in Sweden.He said: “Obviously, I was looking for the win. I felt fast, though, so I am very happy. I was a bit unlucky last year, when I broke my collarbone ahead of the last round. I also had a fall in Riga. But my team worked hard to keep my head up and keep me focused, and now I am back.”Drejer admits a few pointers from Danish team manager and triple Speedway GP world champion Nicki Pedersen helped him in Malilla. He said: “Nicki supports me. When I think about changes on the bike, I listen to what he is saying. But most of all, he works on my mind and makes me believe in myself.”&nbsp;<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/477841/conversions/drejer-henriksson-mcdiarid-svandyck192847-large.jpg"/>Third-placed Malkiewicz finished 10th on the heat score chart – only just scraping into the last-chance qualifiers. But the 17-year-old made a sublime start from gate four in LCQ2 to take his place in the last four, before fending off Parnitskyi for third on the run to the line.He said: “I am over the moon with third place after such a poor start. I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it and be in the final. Ending up on the podium is a big thing for me and I am very happy with that. This is my first big podium, so I am very happy that I am here.“In the last-chance qualifier, I didn’t really have a choice. I had to make the start from gate four. I just dropped the clutch and found myself in a good position in the first corner. I needed to be flexible on the bike to make the most of the opportunity.“In the final, I felt I was under threat from Nazar, but I made it to the finish line in third position and that’s a big thing for me.”&nbsp;The racing continues at the Skrotfrag Arena as the sport’s elite take centre stage for the <a href="https://www.fimspeedway.com/rounds/virkvarn-fim-speedway-gp-of-sweden-malilla">Virkvarn FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla</a> on Saturday night. Tickets are still available for Sweden's biggest night of racing&nbsp;<a href="https://secure.tickster.com/sv/ck48v99fhl8p4my/selectproductgroup">HERE</a>.<img src="https://eventrack-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/staging/477846/conversions/FINALMalkiewiczWheelie1632-large.jpg"/>

POLISH STAR PRZYJEMSKI READY FOR SGP2 PRESSURE AFTER MALILLA MAXIMUM

Poland’s reigning FIM Speedway Under-21 world champion Wiktor Przyjemski made the perfect start to his title defence after winning the Valkvarn FIM SGP2 of Sweden – Malilla with a six-ride maximum on Friday.Przyjemski lifted the title in 2024 and produced a classy display to blaze through to the final with an unbeaten 15 points from his five heats.The Lublin hero then finished off a sensational night’s work by winning the final ahead of Denmark’s William Drejer in second, with Polish racer Kevin Malkiewicz holding his nerve to fend off Ukrainian star Nazar Parnitskyi on the run to the line for third place.Full report to follow soon.

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