SWEDISH LEGEND RICKARDSSON READY FOR FIM SGP4 LAUNCH IN MALILLA ON SATURDAY

FIM Speedway global ambassador Tony Rickardsson hopes the FIM SGP4 project can inspire generations of Speedway GP world champions as the sport’s newest youth category makes its historic debut in Malilla, Sweden on Saturday.

As part of their vision to build a clear pathway for young riders to progress to Speedway GP, global promoter Warner Bros. Discovery Sports tasked six-time FIM Speedway world champion Tony Rickardsson with designing a brand-new entry-level bike for the sport’s youngest riders.

The SGP4 bike with its Daytona FS Anima 190cc engine was unveiled earlier this year and is now available to order online via www.minispeedway.pl.

Rickardsson’s goal was to deliver a machine that should “look like a big bike, sound like a big bike and, most importantly, it should ride like a big bike, but in a small package and for a reasonable sum of money.”

Eighteen riders from 12 different nations and four continents compete on the SGP4 bike in Malilla in a bid to be crowned winner of the brand-new FIM Speedway Youth World Cup.

After months of painstaking testing and design work, Rickardsson is delighted to see the SGP4 bike debut on the Skrotfrag Arena’s training track at 14:30 CET on Saturday afternoon, ahead of the Holmgrens Bil FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla that evening. 

FIM Track Racing Commission (CCP) director Armando Castagna also looks forward to seeing the FIM SGP4 project come to fruition in Malilla.

He said: “Together with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, we identified a step that was missing from the speedway pyramid, and we believe the SGP4 class offers young riders the ideal first step into the sport.

“Seeing all 18 bikes lined up in the Malilla pits is a very special sight and I look forward to seeing our next generation of Speedway GP stars racing in a world championship event, where the focus is on learning, improving and, of course, having fun.

“We are grateful to all 18 riders, their families and of course the 12 federations who have nominated riders to take part. With riders from Europe, North America, South America and Oceania, this truly is a global championship and we hope to welcome riders from even more nations into this category in the coming years.”

One young man hoping to lift the FIM SGP4 title is Denmark’s Villads Pedersen. The 13-year-old raced to victory on an 85cc bike in the FIM Speedway Youth Gold Trophy in Holsted, Denmark last Saturday.

He has also qualified for Friday’s FIM SGP3 Final – the FIM Speedway Youth World Championship for under-16s racing 250cc bikes.

He will hope to add a victory in the 190cc FIM SGP4 event to his already-growing CV. But the chilled Dane is determined to focus on enjoying his racing as he continues a hectic week of action.

Pedersen said: “It is a busy week, but it’s fun. SGP4 is something I haven’t tried before, so I am just going out there to have fun. It’s going to be fun to meet some new riders from all over the world.” 

Fans purchasing tickets for the Holmgrens Bil FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla on Saturday can enjoy free admission to both the Lantmannen Maskin FIM SGP3 Final for the sport’s 250cc stars on Friday and the SGP4 event on Saturday afternoon. Tickets are still available online HERE.

FIM SGP4 LINE-UP: 1 Villads Pedersen (Denmark), 2 Augustin Kreder (Argentina), 3 Lustiuk Zakhar (Ukraine), 4 Oliver Bovingdon (Great Britain), 5 Elias Jamil (Denmark), 6 Arvid Björkeroth (Sweden), 7 Niklas Bager (Denmark), 8 Cooper Antone (Australia), 9 Boris Charbonnier (France), 10 Niko Hatva (Finland), 11 Karel Prusa (Czech Republic), 12 Jesper Kvarnström (Sweden), 13 Damian Andre (Romania), 14 Thies Schweer (Germany), 15 Kobi Canning (Australia), 16 Kensei Matsudaira (USA). RESERVES: 17 Otto Autere (Sweden), 18 Oscar Kull (Sweden).

STORY: PAUL BURBIDGE