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LANDSHUT WINNER MICHELSEN: I’VE GOT MY MOJO BACK

Danish star Mikkel Michelsen admitted “it’s nice to have my mojo back” after defying his mental battles to end his quest for an FIM Speedway Grand Prix win at the Trans MF FIM Speedway GP of Germany – Landshut on Saturday.Michelsen ended a run of 20 Speedway GPs without a final appearance in spectacular style, as he delivered an electrifying start to beat runner-up Bartosz Zmarzlik, Jack Holder in third and fourth-placed Dominik Kubera in the final.Despite winning his third Speedway European Championship in 2023, Michelsen has struggled to find his best form in Speedway GP.But after a winter of hard work on both man and his machines, which included working with Polish sports psychologist Grzegorz Więcław on his mental approach, Michelsen was elated to reap the rewards on an unforgettable night at a sold-out OneSolar Arena. He said: “I have not been in the best place mentally for the last year. That’s something we worked hard on during the winter and it’s paying off right now. “I feel way more confident, and I’m way more comfortable when I get my race suit on and get on the bike. Something has been missing and it’s nice to have my mojo back. I just have to keep working hard and hopefully it pays off.“It has been a turbulent year and a half, fighting with different issues. It has definitely not been going the way I wanted it to.“It wasn’t an easy night in Landshut. We had a lot of issues during the race. But it was nice to have a night when things worked out the way I wanted them to. I am pretty stoked.” 

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HUCKENBECK: REGULAR SPEEDWAY GP SPOT BRINGS LESS PRESSURE

German racer Kai Huckenbeck says being a full-time FIM Speedway Grand Prix star brings less pressure than a wild-card call-up as he prepares for tonight’s Trans MF FIM Speedway GP of Germany – Landshut.Huckenbeck races his first home event as a full member of the SGP line-up and he goes into the meeting on a huge high after reaching two straight semi-finals in Croatia and Warsaw.The former Landshut rider is seventh in the Speedway GP standings on 20 points and very much among the series’ in-form riders.Huckenbeck’s best results in three SGP appearances last year were the five championship points the scored in both Vojens and Torun, where he raced as a series substitute rider. He also scored one as a wild card for the night at the German round in Teterow.While some riders feel being a series substitute or wild card brings less pressure, the former German champion says knowing he will be appearing in all 11 Speedway GP rounds this year has helped him to relax into SGP life.He said: “I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel like there’s not so much pressure. Of course, I am taking it very seriously, but I am having so much fun and that’s when I enjoy it.“When I was a reserve or wild-card rider for one GP, I always felt so much pressure. I thought about every heat and every mistake and every move I would make. It’s quite different now.“Of course, you can always have a bad day. But I think that’s normal. For sure I will have one as well, and hopefully it’s just one! But it’s not so much pressure.”Huckenbeck scored 11 championship points at round one in Croatia, with Aussie star Jason Doyle rounding him for second place in the early stages of their semi-final clash to deny him final qualification. He then crashed out of Warsaw semi one after taking a knock from Doyle on turn one, before running into Jack Holder. Huckenbeck was not fit to take his place in the rerun, but still scored nine championship points and is pleased with reaching two semis on the spin.“I didn’t expect it, to be honest,” he said. “I was a bit unlucky at the last one in Warsaw, but, overall, I am happy. I have made two semis in two GPs, and who would have expected that before?“It’s so much fun riding in the GPs. I really enjoy it at the moment and hopefully it continues like that.”Huckenbeck is setting his sights on qualification for the 2025 Speedway GP series. He will race in an SGP qualifier at German club Abensberg on Monday, battling for a spot in the FIM SGP Challenge in Pardubice on October 4.But if he maintains his current scoring, he could make it by finishing in the 2024 Speedway GP World Championship’s top six.It would be the ultimate way to defy the doubters who questioned his selection as a Speedway GP permanent wild card. Huckenbeck said: “For sure there were many people who said, ‘What is the German doing here?!’ “But I have proved I should be here and right now I am on a good level. Hopefully I can keep it up; that’s the most important thing. Hopefully I can surprise a bit more in the future. My goal is the top six, so I need to keep it up for the whole season. Consistency is the key, I guess.”

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ANDREY KUDRIASHOV 1991-2024

Former FIM Speedway World Cup bronze medallist Andrey Kudriashov has passed away following a brave fight with skin cancer.Kudriashov raced for the Russian national side and was part of their team that claimed a bronze medal in the 2017 FIM SWC Final in Leszno. He also won the Russian Championship four times in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019.The 32-year-old, who was born in Balakovo, put his career on hold as he battled skin cancer and doctors were forced to amputate his left leg in May 2023 in a bid to quell the spread of the disease.Kudriashov left his base in Poland to return to Russia for treatment, but his former Polish club Opole confirmed his passing this morning.As well as racing for Opole during his Polish career, Kudriashov competed for Krakow, Grudziadz, Lublin, Bydgoszcz, Lodz, Gniezno and Latvian team Daugavpils.The FIM Speedway family sends its condolences to Kudriashov’s family and friends at this time.

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LANDSHUT PREVIEW | AUSSIE ACE DOYLE’S BABY BOOM

Speedway GP World Championship leader Jason Doyle says becoming a father “has changed my world” as he bids to build on an unforgettable Warsaw win at the Trans MF FIM Speedway GP of Germany – Landshut on Saturday.For the first time since 1997, the Speedway GP series visits Landshut’s OneSolar Arena, and Doyle will be determined to deliver another big performance in Bavaria after ending a near-seven-year wait for an SGP win at the Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Warsaw last Saturday.Doyle racked up a sensational six heat wins from seven rides to claim a six-point lead at the top of the standings. It was his first victory since he topped the FIM Speedway GP of Australia – Melbourne podium in 2017 to seal the Speedway GP World Championship.Seven years on, and he has 38 points heading into round three, with nearest rivals Jack Holder and Bartosz Zmarzlik tied on 32 in second and third respectively. Great Britain racer Robert Lambert is fourth on 29 as he returns to the country where he started his professional career on a German licence at the age of 14. Sweden’s Fredrik Lindgren is fifth on 23 points, Slovakia’s Martin Vaculik is sixth on 21 and Germany’s own Kai Huckenbeck has 20 points in seventh place after an impressive start to his SGP career, which has seen him reach semi-finals at the opening two rounds in Croatia and Warsaw.But Doyle has been the man in form, and he admits welcoming daughter Grace into the world with wife Emily in March has played a huge role in his rapid start to the 2024 Speedway GP season. He said: “My baby girl Grace has changed my world. The life of just being a speedway rider is gone now. I have finally got purpose in life with having a family. I think that might help to take the pressure off because speedway is only second to me now.“Obviously I still want to win, and I always want to be on top of the rostrum and winning races. But when I go home, I have a baby girl there and I am very happy. I obviously want to make her proud. “I need to thank my wife Emily too. There has been a lot of stress over the last few years with me doing what I do. She has always been by my side to give me support and let me do the training I need to do. If you have a happy life and a happy wife, it makes it a lot easier.” 

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LAMBERT SPURRED FOR FINAL PUSH

Great Britain star Robert Lambert admits falling short of the semis in Croatia fired him up for a final charge in Warsaw as he bids for another big night at the Trans MF FIM Speedway GP of Germany – Landshut on Saturday.Lambert was on the verge of exiting the Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Warsaw in semi-final one, but he snatched second place from Croatia winner Jack Holder on the run to the line.The former European champion went on to claim third spot in the final to move up to fourth place in the Speedway GP World Championship on 29 points.While Lambert is keen to end his wait for an SGP win in Landshut, he admits his Warsaw podium was a fine step towards it, especially after his semi-final heartbreak at the opening round in Donji Kraljevec.He said: “The vision of being third in the semi-final was not good. I was very angry at seeing that prospect again in Warsaw. I think that helped me find that little bit extra and I managed to do it.“Maybe it was good to miss out on that final in Croatia and get a little bit angrier for Warsaw. It also meant I could think about the process of why I didn’t get into the final and analyse a little bit deeper into it. On all our failures, we build towards success. That’s what we have done.“We need to be consistent throughout the whole season. There has been a lot of pressure and talk about my first Speedway GP win. There was a lot of pressure on me in the first round to go and do it straight off.“It was awesome to come third in Warsaw and be on the podium. It’s nice to get a trophy in the second GP. Next time, let’s hope I’ll be No.1.”Lambert heads to Landshut hoping for more good memories in Germany – the country where he made his professional debut as a 14-year-old after taking out a German licence to get a head-start in his racing development due to British speedway’s 16-year age limit for its professional leagues and 15-year minimum age for the National League.He hopes visiting Landshut more than many of his rivals could play to his advantage. He said: “I’ve ridden at Landshut a couple of times and that’s more than a few of the other boys in the series. “It’s a new one on the calendar. It’s a bit different to most of the other tracks. It’s a pretty flat and big track. We need to be prepared for everything, get ready for it and try to get some more points on that board.”Lambert can’t wait to see his many German fans as he continues his rise from teenage rookie to Speedway GP contender.He added: “I’m sure there will be a few fans out there who will be cheering me on. That’s going to be nice. There will be fans and people I haven’t seen for a few years with me not racing in Germany anymore. It will be nice to see those people. When I was there, I was just starting and now I am in the GP. It will be good to be back – I am looking forward to it.”

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LANDSHUT WINNER MICHELSEN: I’VE GOT MY MOJO BACK

HUCKENBECK: REGULAR SPEEDWAY GP SPOT BRINGS LESS PRESSURE

ANDREY KUDRIASHOV 1991-2024

LANDSHUT PREVIEW | AUSSIE ACE DOYLE’S BABY BOOM

LAMBERT SPURRED FOR FINAL PUSH