HOLDER EYES SPRINT FINISH IN WARSAW

Speedway GP World Championship leader Jack Holder believes “luck of the draw” will play a big role as the series’ brand-new sprint race debuts at Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Warsaw Qualifying Practice tonight (17:00 CET).

Over 50,000 fans will be in attendance at the iconic PGE Narodowy for the world’s biggest speedway event on Saturday night, as Holder bids to build on his first-ever SGP win at the FIM Speedway GP of Croatia on April 27.

Holder – second in Warsaw last year – faces stiff competition from the likes of 2023 PGE Narodowy winner Fredrik Lindgren of Sweden, plus Polish four-time Speedway GP world champion Bartosz Zmarzlik, who is bidding become the first home winner in the nation’s capital, along with Dominik Kubera, Szymon Wozniak and wild card Mateusz Cierniak.

FAST FRIDAY

Before Saturday’s main event, Speedway GP World Championship points will be up for grabs in Friday’s Qualifying Practice, which climaxes with racing for the first time in SGP history. The high-stakes session, which is live on discovery+ and the Eurosport App, sees the 16 riders drawn into four groups of four with each quartet taking to the track for two blocks of two minutes. 

The fastest rider in each group qualifies for the sprint race – also known as heat 0. The winner of the four-lap showdown earns four Speedway GP World Championship points with three for the rider in second place, two for third and one for fourth spot.

The sprint race winner receives first choice of starting positions for the Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Warsaw with the other three riders from heat 0 getting second, third and fourth pick – in the order they finished the race. The remaining 12 riders who did not qualify for the sprint race then select their starting positions in an order determined by their fastest lap time.

The sprint format, which also features in Qualifying Practice for the FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain – Cardiff on August 17, will ensure all four riders in each group compete in the same track conditions, instead of some competitors finding themselves at an advantage or disadvantage as the racing surface evolves during the session. 

LUCK OF THE DRAW

A random FIM draw will determine which group each of the riders will enter, meaning Holder could be pitted against his three nearest rivals in the championship, or line up in a more favourable group. The Sheffield and Lublin racer can’t wait to take on the new format but admits luck could play a key role in deciding who takes home the championship points. 

“It’s exciting,” he said. “It’s something new for speedway. It’s good that we’re trying to do something that has got everyone talking; that’s for sure. It’s cool that it’s down to whoever is the fastest of the group of four you are in. But it depends on who you are with.

“It’s a new experience, and it’s very exciting what they are doing. Wherever I am drawn out, I will give it 110 percent.

“You also have to think about how the bike is working because when you go out and know you have two minutes to put a good time in, you can easily not think about how the bike is feeling, go hell for leather and not think about working on the setup for Saturday night. The new sprint race is definitely different, but it’s cool that it’s coming in and we’ll see how it goes.” 

WARSAW WILD CARD

One man who hopes to take full advantage of some previous PGE Narodowy track experience is two-time SGP2 FIM Speedway Under-21 world champion Cierniak, who makes his Speedway GP debut in Warsaw.

Homegrown youngsters are usually invited to test the temporary track in the days before the sport’s biggest stars arrive in the Polish capital, and Cierniak has been among the test riders in past years.

But he cannot wait to go from racing in an empty stadium to being cheered on by over 50,000 fans from Poland and around the world. 

He said: “It’s the first time in my life that I have raced in front of such a big crowd. I have experience of racing in PGE Ekstraliga Finals. But this will be different for sure. This stadium is usually closed, and you feel the noise of the crowd that little bit more. It’s a completely different feeling.

“I am definitely excited because I have some experience with the Warsaw track. Three times over the last few years, I have raced in the track test. I have experience from that, and I hope this will help me a little bit. \

"In every year I have raced here, the track changes a little bit, but not much. I know something about what engines I want to choose for today’s Qualifying Practice and Saturday’s event.

“But it’s still my first time in SGP. For sure I am so excited because it’s a very big stadium with a lot of speedway fans from all over the world. Maybe I am a little bit stressed, but I don’t want to feel this. I only want to have fun and get a good result.” 

Having spent the past two seasons as the red-hot favourite at SGP2 level, winning four of the six rounds he raced, Cierniak can’t wait to race with comparatively little pressure on his shoulders this Saturday as he takes the next step in his full-throttle FIM Speedway journey.

“This is a big chance for me and my next big experience,” he said. “No-one can tell me, ‘You must win’ or something like that. I only need to have fun. 

“It’s good to race in this competition because I want to race in Speedway GP in two or three years. I want to race the whole series one day.

“It’s good to feel this atmosphere in the stadium and race with these guys, not only in the Ekstraliga, Swedish league or the other individual championships. 

“It’s like Speedway GP has different rules. I have raced with every rider from the series, but they are fighting to be world champion here. It’s a different kind of speedway and I want to feel that.” 

Limited tickets remain for the Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Poland - Warsaw, with sales closing at midnight tonight. Secure your seats for a huge night of racing HERE NOW.

2024 ORLEN FIM SPEEDWAY GP OF POLAND – WARSAW LINE-UP (in FIM ranking order with rider numbers):

95. Bartosz Zmarzlik (Poland)

66. Fredrik Lindgren (Sweden)

54. Martin Vaculik (Slovakia)

25. Jack Holder (Australia)

30. Leon Madsen (Denmark)

505. Robert Lambert (Great Britain)

99. Dan Bewley (Great Britain)

69. Jason Doyle (Australia)

108. Tai Woffinden (Great Britain)

155. Mikkel Michelsen (Denmark)

29. Andzejs Lebedevs (Latvia)

744. Kai Huckenbeck (Germany)

415. Dominik Kubera (Poland)

48. Szymon Wozniak (Poland)

201. Jan Kvech (Czech Republic)

16. Mateusz Cierniak (Poland – wild card)

17. Bartlomiej Kowalski (Poland – first track reserve)

18. Damian Ratajczak (Poland – second track reserve)

WARSAW FANZONE

Fans can enjoy a huge afternoon of entertainment at Warsaw’s PGE Narodowy with fun for all ages in the Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Warsaw fanzone.

The action gets started at 13:00 CET in the area next to gate one at PGE Narodowy, and visitors can meet all 18 riders in the Speedway GP autograph session from 16:30 CET.

Catch Monster Energy athletes Fredrik Lindgren, Jack Holder, Dan Bewley and Tai Woffinden at the Monster Energy Rig Riot from 17:00 CET, with the Speedway GP Boll riders also appearing in the fanzone at the same time.

There will be high-flying action throughout the afternoon with the Monster Energy Trial Show at 14:30, 16:00 and 17:30 CET, as well as music from a live DJ.

Win exclusive Speedway GP prizes in our quizzes on the big screen at 14:45 and 15:45 CET. The screen will also be playing the best moments from the 2023 season.

Get a photo with the Speedway GP trophy throughout the afternoon and meet official Speedway GP mascot Speedy for a photo at 14:00 or 15:45 CET.

There will be fun for the whole family all afternoon, including entertainment for kids, the Monster Energy rig, the Boll entertainment area, food and drink stalls, the chill zone, the Speedway GP merchandise shop, the Speedway GP trophy and vintage speedway bikes exhibition, plenty of photo opportunities and much, much more.

The fanzone closes at 18:30 CET, as the action switches to the track, with racing getting started at 19:00 CET. 

WHERE TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND

Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Poland - Warsaw – Saturday, May 11 at 19:00 CET

Fans with access to discovery+ or the Eurosport App, available in selected countries, can enjoy full live coverage of all the FIM Speedway action, featuring Qualifying Practice, plus all the build-up from the pits and reaction after the chequered flag falls, as well as the very best coverage of the racing including pit and on-board cameras and rider reaction times.

Coverage of Speedway GP is available worldwide with linear coverage also available in selected countries – see below for more details of where to watch.

ACROSS EUROPE: Live on Eurosport platforms

BRITAIN: Live on discovery+ and Eurosport 2 

POLAND: Live on TTV and Eurosport Extra in Player

SWEDEN: Live on discovery+

DENMARK: Live on 6’eren and discovery+

AUSTRALIA: Live on Fox Sports

GERMANY: Live on discovery+

ACROSS THE BALTICS: Live on the Eurosport platforms, Go3 and TV3 Sport channels

CZECH REP: Live on the Eurosport platforms

SLOVAKIA: Live on RTVS and the Eurosport platforms

CROATIA: Live on the Eurosport platforms

USA: Live on MAVTV

AUSTRIA: Live on discovery+

NORWAY: Live on discovery+

FINLAND: Live on discovery+

ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN: Live on SportsMax

ACROSS ASIA: Live on beINSPORTS

REST OF THE WORLD: Live on Staylive