LEBEDEVS OPEN TO FUTURE UK COMEBACK

Latvian ace Andzejs Lebedevs doesn’t rule out a UK comeback in the future but admitted “nobody called me” ahead of the 2024 season.

A host of the sport’s top names line up in the Sports Insure Premiership this season, including former Speedway GP world champions Tai Woffinden and Jason Doyle plus Jack Holder and Dan Bewley. Former world No.3s Maciej Janowski and Emil Sayfutdinov and triple Aussie champion Max Fricke also race in the UK.

With Britain’s top division growing in stature, more riders are thinking about competing in the Sports Insure Premiership regularly and Lebedevs, who had brief spells with King’s Lynn in 2013 and Leicester in 2017, admits he may have considered it himself.

But as well as becoming Latvia’s first-ever full-time Speedway GP rider and competing in the 2024 Speedway European Championship, Lebedevs will be racing for Polish PGE Ekstraliga side Leszno, Swedish champions Dackarna and Danish side Fjelsted.

Had the call from Britain come at an early stage, Lebedevs admits he may have been tempted. But the 2017 European champion said: “Nobody called me! I think I have enough meetings. Last year, I raced close to 70 meetings without Britain. This season will be busy too.

“I am always open to speaking. If the offer and conditions are okay, why not? But this winter when I fixed my contracts and calendar for next season, nobody from Britain called me.

“Maybe other guys are going to Britain now and many big names are coming back. But I am okay with what I have.”