POLISH STAR JANOWSKI SEEKS MAGIC MOMENT AT SWEDISH HOME CLUB MALILLA

14/07/2023

POLISH STAR JANOWSKI SEEKS MAGIC MOMENT AT SWEDISH HOME CLUB MALILLA

Polish racer Maciej Janowski says his search for speed is “going in the right direction” as he lines up on his Swedish home track for the Holmgrens Bil FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla on Saturday.

The world No.3 endured a difficult start to his Speedway GP season by his high standards, missing out on the semi-finals at the opening four rounds. But Janowski delivered an upturn in fortunes at the KGHM FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Gorzow on June 24, reaching the semis and scoring 10 championship points.

He will hope to go even further on the Skrotfrag Arena circuit where he has raced for Malilla club Dackarna almost every season since 2016 as he bids to improve on his 31 points and 11th place in the Speedway GP standings.

Janowski, who finished third in the 2022 FIM Swedish Speedway GP here, faces huge competition from fellow Polish star and World Championship leader Bartosz Zmarzlik, who heads to Malilla with a 21-point lead at the top of the standings. The triple world champion is seeking his fourth victory at the Skrotfrag Arena and his third Malilla win on the bounce.

Swedish star Fredrik Lindgren, third on 68 points, is also bidding to extend a fine run of Malilla results, having reached the rostrum on each of his last five Speedway GP visits to Malilla, where he also won the 2023 Swedish Championship on June 27.

Second-placed Jack Holder, who is just ahead of Lindgren on 69, will be determined to build on his best-ever start to a Speedway GP season – as will Aussie icon Jason Doyle, who has reached four finals in five rounds, leaving him fourth on 68.

While Janowski has work to do to close the gap on the frontrunners, he was pleased to pick up the pace in Gorzow ahead of the Malilla showdown.

“We are definitely going in the right direction,” he said. “I prepared really hard for the season, and I have been doing everything as I used to – or even working harder. But something is not right. It feels like we are missing something with our engines and definitely with the setup. “We have been trying some different setup combinations since the beginning of the season but have gone back to what we had last year. Slowly everything is going in the right direction. But we are looking for something better all the time. “I like this Malilla track. I am looking forward to getting a good result there – definitely. I have had a great journey with this club, and I really enjoy being there. I hope it will be a good night.”

Magic in Malilla

Lindgren is also seeking another big night in Malilla, where he famously topped the podium in the 2019 event – defying a spectacular crash earlier the night, which saw him perform a remarkable motocross-style jump to avoid running over the fallen Patryk Dudek.

He took second place last year and finished third in 2017, 2018 and 2021. He is hopeful of enjoying another fine night on the track where he previously represented Dackarna from 2006 to 2013, before returning in 2017.

The Orebro-born ace said: “I always look forward to racing in front of my home fans. I hope this year we are going to have a good crowd. They have a good date in the middle of summer – Swedish people are on holiday and camping. I am sure we will have a good party in Malilla.”

Fredrik Lindgren pushes off in Malilla last year

Lindgren is joined in the event by Swedish Championship runner-up Jacob Thorssell, whose second place in the national final earned him the No.16 wild-card race jacket for Saturday.

FIM GP Challenge winner Kim Nilsson misses the event due to injury after a heavy crash in a Swedish Allsvenskan league match in Mariestad on June 29. His place is taken by Latvia’s Andzejs Lebedevs, the Speedway GP first substitute rider for 2023.

2023 HOLMGRENS BIL FIM SPEEDWAY GP OF SWEDEN - MALILLA LINE-UP (in FIM ranking order with rider numbers): 95 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Poland), 30 Leon Madsen (Denmark), 71 Maciej Janowski (Poland), 66 Fredrik Lindgren (Sweden), 505 Robert Lambert (Great Britain), 99 Dan Bewley (Great Britain), 692 Patryk Dudek (Poland), 108 Tai Woffinden (Great Britain), 54 Martin Vaculik (Slovakia), 69 Jason Doyle (Australia), 155 Mikkel Michelsen (Denmark), 25 Jack Holder (Australia), 46 Max Fricke (Australia), 105 Anders Thomsen (Denmark), 29 Andzejs Lebedevs (Latvia – substitute for 233 Kim Nilsson), 16 Jacob Thorssell (Sweden – wild card), 17 Filip Hjelmland (Sweden – first track reserve), 18 Casper Henriksson (Sweden – second track reserve).

Tickets for the Holmgrens Bil FIM Swedish Speedway GP are still available online. Secure your seat HERE now.

MALILLA FANZONE & SGP4 ACTION

Fans can enjoy an action-packed afternoon in the Holmgrens Bil FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla fanzone – located in the area next to the main turnstiles near bend one.

The entertainment gets underway at 12:00 CET, with Speedway GP Qualifying Practice kicking off at 13:00 CET.

Once Qualifying Practice concludes, the action switches to the Malilla training track, where fans can watch the first-ever FIM SGP4 event as riders aged 11 to 13 battle it out for the FIM Speedway Youth World Cup on the 190cc bikes designed by Swedish legend Tony Rickardsson for the brand-new youth class.

The Speedway GP trophy will be on display for fans to take pictures with from 12:30 CET. There will also be vintage bike displays, attractions for kids, plenty of entertainment in the Monster Energy Zone, plus Speedway GP and rider merchandise available for purchase.

There will be chances to grab a selfie with official FIM Speedway mascot Speedy at 15:15 CET and 18:15 CET.

Speedway GP’s Monster Energy athletes Fredrik Lindgren, Dan Bewley, Tai Woffinden, Patryk Dudek and Jack Holder will be signing hero cards in the Monster Energy Zone from 16:00 CET.

This will be followed by our Speedway GP rider autograph session, featuring all 18 riders, from 16:30 CET.

Fans can win Speedway GP prizes in our quizzes on the big screen at 15:30 CET and 17:45 CET, before we crown the King and Queen of the Fanzone at 18:00 CET.

Dan Bewley meets his Malilla fans

WHERE TO WATCH: Holmgrens Bil FIM Speedway GP of Sweden - Malilla – Saturday, July 15 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, rider reaction times and, coming soon, live speed data.

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

Fans can also get live results throughout the Speedway GP via the official FIM Speedway app. Download it now on the App Store or Google Play.

ACROSS EUROPE: Live on the Eurosport App

BRITAIN: Live on Eurosport 2, discovery+ and the Eurosport App

POLAND: Live Eurosport Extra in Player

SWEDEN: Live on Kanal 9, discovery+ and the Eurosport App

DENMARK: Live on 6’eren, discovery+ and the Eurosport App

AUSTRALIA: Live on Fox Sports (Kayo)

NEW ZEALAND: Live on Recast via www.recast.tv/fimspeedway

USA/CANADA: Live on Recast via www.recast.tv/fimspeedway

GERMANY: Live on discovery+ and the Eurosport App

ACROSS THE BALTICS: Live on discovery+, Eurosport App, Go3 and TV3 Sport channels

CZECH REP: Live on the Eurosport App