PACY POLE PAWELCZAK WINS FIM SGP3 SEMI-FINAL 2

Polish young gun Maksymilian Pawelczak was elated to mark his first visit to Sweden by storming into the FIM SGP3 Final in Malilla this Friday.

The Bydgoszcz talent topped the FIM SGP3 Semi-Final 2 podium in Vastervik on Wednesday with a rapid performance, dropping just one point on his way to 14 to secure his spot in the FIM Speedway Youth World Championship Final for the sport’s 250cc under-16 stars.

Pawelczak finished second in his opening heat to Australia’s Mitchell McDairmid, who impressed in third place. But the Pole hit back by beating second-placed Mikkel Andersen of Denmark – the reigning SGP3 champion – in his second race, breaking Vastervik’s 250cc track record with a 60.6-second time.

He then obliterated that figure in race 11, registering 59.7 seconds to issue a real statement of intent ahead of Friday’s FIM SGP3 Final, which will be live on discovery+ and the Eurosport App.

Speaking in impressive English, the delighted Pawelczak was elated to have made such an electrifying start to his first Swedish trip.

He said: “I’m feeling awesome. Today was my day. Nearly everything was awesome, and my bike was going great. The track was great for me, even though it rained very hard before the meeting.

“I am very happy to be here. I am very happy to go to Malilla and I hope I will do great there. I can’t tell how I will do now. It will all be about the racing. The Final will be very interesting. I have never raced in Malilla. It’s actually my first time in Sweden. But it’s great! I like the tracks here.

“Thanks to my brother and my dad; they came here with me, and thanks to the boys for some very cool racing. See you in Malilla!” 

Reigning champion Andersen fought back after second-place finishes in both of his opening heats to win his final three, taking second spot overall. After lifting the SGP3 trophy in Wroclaw’s Olympic Stadium last summer, he admits the pressure to repeat that triumph may have weighed on him a little.

“It wasn’t the best start today,” he said. “But we made it through and that’s the important part. It didn’t go as planned at the start. I made the wrong changes on the bike. But we sorted it out in the end.

“I just put too much pressure on myself. My head wasn’t really here today. We did the best we could. We changed bikes to a better one; it had a bit more kick to it, and it worked out great in the end.”

Andersen is determined to end his 250cc career in style with victory in Malilla as he prepares for what’s shaping up to be a fiercely competitive final.

“Anyone can win this,” he said. “But I have to prove I am the champ still. I will give it a shot. Hopefully I can do it again to sign off the 250cc class and have a successful year. I want to finish the 250s properly.”

McDairmid qualified for the FIM SGP3 Final in third place on 13, with Great Britain star William Cairns making it through in fourth, defying a last place to win his other four rides and finish on 12.

That total was matched by Poland’s Damian Miller in fifth, with Alexander Adamson of Australia, Otto Raak of Finland and Sweden’s Alfred Aberg all making the cut on eight points apiece.

The reserve place for the final went to Czech rider Jan Hlacina, who scored seven, beating Slovenia’s Tilen Bracko on countback. 

FIM SGP3 FINAL LINE-UP (not in riding order): Maksymilian Pawelczak (Poland), Mikkel Andersen (Denmark), Mitchell McDiarmid (Australia), William Cairns (Great Britain), Damian Miller (Poland), Alexander Adamson (Australia), Otto Raak (Finland), Alfred Aberg (Sweden), Beau Bailey (Australia), Cooper Rushen (Great Britain), Kacper Mania (Poland), Villads Pedersen (Denmark), Sven Cerjak (Slovenia), Filip Beczkowski (Poland), Rasmus Karlsson (Sweden), Leo Klasson (Sweden). RESERVES: Jan Hlacina (Czech Republic), Patrick Kruse (Denmark).

FIM SGP3 SEMI-FINAL 2 SCORES: 1 Maksymilian Pawelczak (Poland) 14, 2 Mikkel Andersen (Denmark) 13, 3 Mitchell McDiarmid (Australia) 13, 4 William Cairns (Great Britain) 12, 5 Damian Miller (Poland) 12, 6 Alexander Adamson (Australia) 8, 7 Otto Raak (Finland) 8, 8 Alfred Aberg (Sweden) 8, 9 Jan Hlacina (Czech Republic) 7, 10 Tilen Bracko (Slovenia) 7, 11 Dante Johansson (Sweden) 6, 12 Lester Matthijssen (Netherlands) 4, 13 Niek Meijerink (Netherlands) 4, 14 Carl Wynant (Germany) 1, 15 Carlos Saabas (Estonia) 1, 16 Emils Rimcans (Latvia) 1, 17 Adam Carlsson (Sweden) 1, 18 Albin Sigvardsson (Sweden) DNR.

FIM SGP3 SEMI-FINAL 1 SCORES: 1 Beau Bailey (Australia) 13, 2 Cooper Rushen (Great Britain) 13, 3 Kacper Mania (Poland) 12, 4 Villads Pedersen (Denmark) 11, 5 Sven Cerjak (Slovenia) 10, 6 Filip Beczkowski (Poland) 10, 7 Rasmus Karlsson (Sweden) 9, 8 Leo Klasson (Sweden) 9, 9 Patrick Kruse (Denmark) 8, 10 Damirs Filimonovs (Latvia) 7, 11 Kacper Cymerman (Germany) 6, 12 Zoltan Lovas (Hungary) 5, 13 Nicolas Hohlbein (United States) 3, 14 Dominik Hrbek (Czech Republic) 2, 15 Levin Cording (Germany) 2, 16 Silvar Avi (Estonia) 0, 17 Jonny Eriksson (Sweden) DNR, 18 Casper Appelgren (Sweden) DNR.