Parnitskyi defied a day of wet weather conditions to blaze to a five-ride maximum and win the Deluxe Homeart FIM SGP2 of Denmark – Vojens – night one of the Weekend of Champions at the home of Danish speedway.

With his Polish rival Wiktor Przyjemski battling through the pain of a recent ankle injury to finish 11th in the meeting classification with six championship points, Parnitskyi went from trailing the Lublin star by four points ahead of racing to finishing 10 clear in top spot.

Danish young gun Mikkel Andersen, 17, followed up his fourth place in 2024 by bagging the bronze medal – finishing one point clear of Czech charger Adam Bubba Bednar, who claimed fourth position.

But the night belonged to Parnitskyi, who achieved the biggest victory by a Ukrainian rider since the country parted from the Soviet Union.

He showed nerves of steel in the wet on his Danish home track to deliver five astonishing starts. The 18-year-old has emerged as one of the sport’s most promising talents and provided a welcome ray of light for the country’s speedway community at a time when they face the horrors of war, with racing on hold.

Parnitskyi was delighted to give Ukrainian fans a night of celebration. He said: “I hope this war will soon be over and speedway will come back to Ukraine.

“I am really happy that I did what I planned. The plan was to win this, and I am really happy that I could do it here in Vojens.

“I have always struggled with my starts here in Vojens. I decided to go a completely different way when it comes to the setup, and it worked out. My starts were super, and I am happy about that.”

Parnitskyi’s heroics could see him become Ukraine’s first-ever full-time Speedway GP rider in the coming years. But for now, he’s already hoping for another SGP2 title showdown with Przyjemski in 2026.

He said: “Speedway GP will be my goal, but of course I am still young. Next season will be very interesting – the battle between me and Wiktor.”

Przyjemski raced his first meeting since crashing out of Swedish champions Lejonen’s Bauhaus Elitserien match in Hallstavik on August 19. The Bydgoszcz-born star counts himself fortunate to have made it to the tapes as he claimed a gallant silver medal.

He said: “It was a very difficult night for me and, to be honest, I don’t feel like I lost the gold medal. I feel like I won silver. I felt pain in both of my legs. I was very happy that I was able to race at all.

“In the last race, I was only thinking about surgery – I need to get rid of this metal from my leg and then I will be very relieved. It was a very difficult night, and the conditions didn’t help at all.

“Big congratulations to Nazar. I remember our battle last year. We battled it out for the gold again this season and hopefully it will be the same next season.”

Bronze medallist Andersen admits he revelled in the testing conditions on his Danish home track as he surged from sixth in the SGP2 standings to third by taking third place in the Deluxe Homeart FIM SGP2 of Denmark – Vojens.

He said: “It’s unbelievable. I was sixth before this round and didn’t feel that I was going to win or even finish third. It was possible, but I knew I needed to have the luck on my side.

“I am a rider that likes a difficult track. When it’s too smooth and slick for me, it’s boring. I need something a bit more difficult and technical, so I enjoyed it.”

Celebrating 50 years of racing at Vojens Speedway Center, the Weekend of Champions continues with the FIM SGP4 World Championship for the sport’s 190cc 11-13-year-old stars on Saturday morning at 11:00 CEST.

The event then reaches an epic climax with the Deluxe Homeart FIM Speedway GP of Denmark – Vojens at 19:00 as Polish icon Bartosz Zmarzlik and Aussie ace Brady Kurtz both bid for an historic Speedway GP world title.

Zmarzlik aims to win a record-equalling sixth FIM Speedway World Championship and an unprecedented fourth in as many years, while Kurtz aims to become the first rider to win gold in their Speedway GP debut season.

Results

Final Standings

Feature Image courtesy of Taylor Lanning – Words by SGP

The post UKranian ace Nazar Parnitskyi crowned 2025 FIM Speedway Under-21 world champion appeared first on Speedway Hub UK.

The reigning FIM Speedway Under-21 world champion raced to victory in the 2024 SGP2 series opener in Malilla, and he repeated his triumph in the Swedish forests – this time with an outstanding unbeaten display, defying the wet conditions caused by a heavy rain shower after heat 16.

The Lublin star was a class apart as he won all five heats to qualify for the final automatically, before holding his nerve to win SGP2 round one ahead of Denmark’s William Drejer in second place, Poland’s Kevin Malkiewicz in third and Ukrainian star Nazar Parnitskyi in fourth spot.

Przyjemski was delighted to deliver another magical moment in Malilla. And while the FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship favourite knows the pressure is on him to make it back-to-back SGP2 world titles, he’s ready to use it as a positive.

He said: “I will say it how it is. Obviously, there is a little bit of pressure on myself – I am not going to hide it. But it’s good for my head in the league racing and the international events. I feel like I am in good form and that creates a little bit of pressure.

“It’s great to be victorious here again. Obviously, I have such a bond with this place after winning here again in Sweden. The track changed a little bit after the rainfall, but I did it.

“It went perfectly for me from the very beginning. Even though I won all of the races in the main round, in my mind before the final, I had a lot to think about before the gate selection. I wasn’t sure if I made a good choice, but overall, red was a good choice.”

Runner-up Drejer saw his 2024 SGP2 season curtailed by a broken collarbone, forcing him out of the final round in Torun, Poland. So he was delighted to bounce back in style in Sweden.

He said: “Obviously, I was looking for the win. I felt fast, though, so I am very happy. I was a bit unlucky last year, when I broke my collarbone ahead of the last round. I also had a fall in Riga. But my team worked hard to keep my head up and keep me focused, and now I am back.”

Drejer admits a few pointers from Danish team manager and triple Speedway GP world champion Nicki Pedersen helped him in Malilla. He said: “Nicki supports me. When I think about changes on the bike, I listen to what he is saying. But most of all, he works on my mind and makes me believe in myself.”

Third-placed Malkiewicz finished 10th on the heat score chart – only just scraping into the last-chance qualifiers. But the 17-year-old made a sublime start from gate four in LCQ2 to take his place in the last four, before fending off Parnitskyi for third on the run to the line.

He said: “I am over the moon with third place after such a poor start. I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it and be in the final. Ending up on the podium is a big thing for me and I am very happy with that. This is my first big podium, so I am very happy that I am here.

“In the last-chance qualifier, I didn’t really have a choice. I had to make the start from gate four. I just dropped the clutch and found myself in a good position in the first corner. I needed to be flexible on the bike to make the most of the opportunity.

“In the final, I felt I was under threat from Nazar, but I made it to the finish line in third position and that’s a big thing for me.”

The racing continues at the Skrotfrag Arena as the sport’s elite take centre stage for the Virkvarn FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla on Saturday night. Tickets are still available for Sweden’s biggest night of racing HERE.

Result

Words by Speedway GP – Feature Image courtesy of Taylor Lanning

The post Stunning maximum for Wiktor Przyjemski at 2025 SGP2 opener in Sweden! appeared first on Speedway Hub UK.

Henriksson flies the home flag in the opening round of the 2025 SGP2 series alongside wild card and Lejonen teammate Sammy van Dyck, as the pair take on the sport’s top under-21 stars – just 24 hours before the Virkvarn FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla also takes place at Skrotfrag Arena on Saturday night.

The 2024 SGP2 top four have all re-qualified for the championship as Poland’s reigning champion Wiktor Przyjemski defends his crown, while Ukrainian runner-up Nazar Parnitskyi, Norway’s third-placed Mathias Pollestad and Danish sensation Mikkel Andersen in fourth all bid to improve on last year’s results, along with their fellow returning star William Drejer of Denmark.

It’s Henriksson’s fourth and final campaign in the series as the 21-year-old is not eligible for the 2026 competition, so he is determined to make his mark in this year’s championship.

Henriksson races in Sweden’s top two leagues for Bauhaus Elitserien champions Lejonen and Swedish Allsvenskan side Ornarna in team competition, as well as representing Gniezno in Polish National League.

But the double Swedish Under-21 champion says the challenge of competing as an individual over the 23-heat Speedway GP format, complete with Qualifying sessions, in SGP2 has helped him to develop as a rider.

He said: “I have gained a bit more experience by riding in SGP2, and it’s more of a mentality thing, I feel. You develop more as a person than you do in a league meeting.

“In the league racing, you can maybe have a bad meeting and your team still wins. But in SGP2, you are all alone, so you are quite vulnerable if the meeting doesn’t go as well as you want it to.

“That’s why you need to be patient and take every heat like a new heat, and you can’t get fed up after the first one. It’s a lot about mentality.”

Henriksson is the only member of the 2025 SGP2 line-up to have competed in each of the last three series. He’s determined to capitalise on that experience as he bids to better the point he scored in Malilla last year.

He said: “I have been through all the series since we started with SGP2. I qualified in the first year in 2022, and I have been in ever since, so that’s quite nice. I have gained experience over the last three years. This is my last year, so I am going to take every opportunity I can get.

“I had a meeting in Sweden on Tuesday, and everyone was coming up and saying that they are going to come to Malilla and cheer for me. Lots of Swedish fans are going to come, so hopefully it goes well. Last season in Malilla was a disaster, but hopefully it will go better this year.”

Henriksson was 12th in the SGP2 standings last term and is keen to improve on that result, along with his best finish of fifth place overall a season earlier.

While he also opened that 2023 series by scoring a point at round one in Czech capital Prague, he followed it with two final appearances – taking fourth spot at the Polish event in Gorzow and second place at the final round on storied Danish track Vojens.

The past three SGP2 series have been won by Polish riders, but Henriksson hopes he can make the Swedish flag fly high in Malilla.

He said: “I know I can do it because two years ago, when we had the last round in Vojens, I was leading for three laps and (Damian) Ratajczak passed me on the last lap. If everything is working well, I can do it. Hopefully some nations other than Poland can do some winning.”

This year’s returning stars are joined in SGP2 by 2023 series members Norick Blodorn of Germany and Slovenia’s Anze Grmek.

The line-up is completed by Polish newcomers Kevin Malkiewicz, Jan Przanowski and Antoni Mencel, British duo Jake Mulford and Dan Thompson, Aussie racer Mitchell McDiarmid and Czech talent Adam Bubba Bednar.

With clubs all over the continent watching on, Henriksson knows Friday’s SGP2 in Malilla is a huge chance for every rider to put themselves in the shop window for the world’s top teams.

He said: “It’s a big opportunity for the future to get into the big leagues and ride with the big guys. Many team managers are watching this meeting, so you have to show yourself and how good you are.”

Tickets for Friday’s Virkvarn FIM SGP2 of Sweden – Malilla are still available online. Secure your spot at the Skrotfrag Arena HERE now. Tickets for Saturday’s Speedway GP can also be purchased HERE.

VIRKVARN FIM SGP2 OF SWEDEN – MALILLA LINE-UP IN FIM RANKING ORDER WITH RIDER NUMBERS:

999. Mathias Pollestad (Norway)
37. Norick Blodorn (Germany)
97. Mikkel Andersen (Denmark)
505. Wiktor Przyjemski (Poland)
785. Nazar Parnitskyi (Ukraine)
72. Jake Mulford (Great Britain)
545. William Drejer (Denmark)
802. Kevin Malkiewicz (Poland)
310. Jan Przanowski (Poland)
226. Anze Grmek (Slovenia)
305. Antoni Mencel (Poland)
43. Casper Henriksson (Sweden)
27. Mitchell McDiarmid (Australia)
79. Adam Bubba Bednar (Czechia)
237. Dan Thompson (Great Britain)
16. Sammy van Dyck (Sweden – wild card)
17. Rasmus Karlsson (Sweden – first track reserve)
18. Noel Wahlquist (Sweden – second track reserve)

WHERE TO WATCH

Coverage of the Virkvarn FIM SGP2 of Sweden – Malilla can be enjoyed via Max, HBO Max and discovery+ platforms in markets where these are available. Viewers in other countries around the world can find coverage on the Racer Network HERE.

Words by Speedway GP – Feature Image courtesy of Marcin Karczewski

The post Henriksson ready for home SGP2 in Malilla! 2025 FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship Round 1 – Preview appeared first on Speedway Hub UK.

Fifteen riders from 10 different countries will compete across three rounds, which follow the Speedway GP format, starting with the Virkvarn Jord och Skog AB FIM SGP2 of Sweden – Malilla on July 4. The action then moves to the DeWalt FIM SGP2 of Latvia – Riga on August 1, with the champion crowned at the Deluxe Homeart FIM SGP2 of Denmark – Vojens on night one of FIM Speedway’s Weekend of Champions on September 12.

McDiarmid represents Australia in the series after narrowly missing out on qualification following a run-off at the SGP2 qualifier in Debrecen, Hungary last Saturday. He competes for Zielona Gora in Poland, as well as racing for the Oxford Cheetahs in Britain’s Cab Direct Championship.

Prague rider Bednar is Czechia’s next great hope on the world stage and has impressed with Gorzow in Poland, as well as finishing second in the 2023 Czech Championship, aged 16.

British talent Thompson was unable to compete in his SGP2 qualifier in Glasgow, Great Britain due to a broken scaphoid. But the 2024 SGP2 series substitute has starred with Ipswich in Britain’s Rowe Motor Oil Premiership, as well as Glasgow in the Cab Direct Championship.

The trio takes on the 12 riders who qualified for SGP2 by achieving top-four finishes at the three qualification rounds in Pardubice (Czechia) and Glasgow (Great Britain) on May 24 and Debrecen (Hungary) on June 7.

All of last season’s SGP2 top four are back to compete for FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship gold, as 2024 champion Wiktor Przyjemski of Poland, Ukrainian runner-up Nazar Parnitskyi, Norwegian bronze medallist Mathias Pollestad and Denmark’s fourth-placed Mikkel Andersen made it through the qualifiers.

Sweden’s Casper Henriksson competes in what will be his fourth consecutive and final SGP2 series, with Denmark’s William Drejer also a returning star from the 2024 field.

German racer Norick Blodorn is back in SGP2 after a year’s absence after winning the Debrecen qualifier with a 15-point maximum, while Slovenia’s Anze Grmek also makes his first appearance in the competition since 2023.

Poland will have three new representatives in the championship alongside returning Lublin racer Przyjemski as Grudziadz riders Kevin Malkiewicz and Jan Przanowski compete, alongside Leszno prospect Antoni Mencel.

Thompson is joined in flying the GB flag by Jake Mulford – a talented track-racing all-rounder, who won the 2024 Rowe Motor Oil Premiership with Manchester club Belle Vue. He also won the 2024 FIM Long Track Under-23 World Cup and is a multi-time British Grasstrack champion.

Should any of the 15 regular SGP2 stars be unable to compete in a round due to injury, illness or other reasons, 2024 SGP2 star Villads Nagel of Denmark is the first substitute in line to replace them. He is joined on the standby list by Sweden’s Sammy van Dyck, Australia’s Tate Zischke, Austria’s Sebastian Kossler and Latvia’s Nikita Kaulins.

FULL FIM SPEEDWAY UNDER-21 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (SGP2) LINE-UP IN FIM RANKING ORDER WITH RIDER NUMBERS:
999. Mathias Pollestad (Norway)
37. Norick Blodorn (Germany)
97. Mikkel Andersen (Denmark)
505. Wiktor Przyjemski (Poland)
785. Nazar Parnitskyi (Ukraine)
72. Jake Mulford (Great Britain)
545. William Drejer (Denmark)
802. Kevin Malkiewicz (Poland)
310. Jan Przanowski (Poland)
226. Anze Grmek (Slovenia)
305. Antoni Mencel (Poland)
43. Casper Henriksson (Sweden)
27. Mitchell McDiarmid (Australia)
79. Adam Bubba Bednar (Czechia)
237. Dan Thompson (Great Britain)

SUBSTITUTES
108. Villads Nagel (Denmark)
150. Sammy van Dyck (Sweden)
131. Tate Zischke (Australia)
609. Sebastian Kossler (Austria)
23. Nikita Kaulins (Latvia)

Words & Feature Image by SGP

The post Dan Thompson receives SGP2 wildcard as 2025 FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship line up revealed! appeared first on Speedway Hub UK.

The meeting will take place on Saturday May 24, 2025, and will feature many of the sport’s top youngsters, including representation from Great Britain, as they battle for places in the three-round SGP2 series.

The club have staged several FIM events over recent years, including the Grand Prix Challenge in 2022 and GP Qualifiers in two earlier seasons.

And now after further investment into the venue, including a new air fence, Ashfield will once again be up to FIM regulation standards enabling the staging of prestigious international events.

Great Britain Youth boss Neil Vatcher said: “Following the announcement, I am delighted that the FIM have awarded Glasgow the SGP2 Qualifier.

“Firstly, I’m pleased for the Glasgow promotion and owners, who as we all know have invested so much into the stadium, and it is a venue now that is worthy of hosting such big International events.

“And secondly, from a selfish point of view, I’m again delighted that we can host such an event on home soil.

“This will hopefully give the British riders who are nominated for this event the very best opportunity to qualify for the 2025 SGP2 series.”

The Glasgow event is one of three SGP2 qualifiers on May 24, with the others at Pardubice (Czech Rep) and Debrecen (Hungary). The 2025 SGP2 series takes place at Malilla (Sweden), Riga (Lativa) and Vojens (Denmark).

Words and feature Image by British Speedway

The post Glasgow to host 2025 SGP2 qualifier appeared first on Speedway Hub UK.

Przyjemski finished second in the final event of the three-round series, claiming the SGP2 gold medal when he took victory in semi-final one – putting the title beyond the reach of Ukrainian rival Nazar Parnitskyi.

The fast-starting Parnitskyi joined Przyjemski in the final with victory in semi-final two as he secured the SGP2 silver medal, before Norwegian star Mathias Pollestad raced to an unforgettable victory in the DeWalt FIM SGP2 of Poland – Torun final, bagging the SGP2 bronze medal in the process.

The final was restarted twice after Sweden’s Philip Hellstrom-Bangs collided with Przyjemski and was disqualified in the first run of the race, before Parnitskyi picked up drive and fell in the second rerun, leaving him placed third on the night.

Przyjemski comfortably claimed the gold medal on 56 points, with Parnitskyi on 46 in second and Pollestad just three behind on 43 in third, edging out Denmark’s 16-year-old sensation Mikkel Andersen (39) in fourth spot and Hellstrom-Bangs (36) in fifth for the last place on the podium.

The night belonged to pre-event favourite Przyjemski, who won the opening round in Malilla, Sweden on June 14 and finished second to Parnitskyi at round two in Latvian capital Riga on September 6.

With Przyjemski coming into the round, needing a place in the final to be certain of the gold medal, he admits it was far from an easy night.

He said: “I am going to celebrate tonight – that’s for sure. For the last two weeks, it has been a very stressful time for me. I knew that I had a lead. An eight-point advantage is a good lead.

“But still, I had to advance to the final. I knew that I had to do it and that was very stressful for me, coming into this final round in Torun. But I am really happy I made it, and that’s all that matters.

“I am very excited because the gold medal I have around my neck right now is the most important thing.

“This season wasn’t easy for me. It was very difficult when we started in the winter – I got injured so I couldn’t prepare for the season as I wanted to. But I am the SGP2 world champion and that’s what is most important at the moment.”

Przyjemski also won his third FIM Speedway of Nations – SON2 gold medal with the Polish Under-21 team in Manchester, Great Britain on July 12 and has helped Polish champions Lublin reach the PGE Ekstraliga play-off final after making a huge move from his hometown team Bydgoszcz last winter. Now Przyjemski hopes to build on a stellar season in 2025.

He said: “This season has been very good for me. It was my first season in the Ekstraliga, and I feel like I am doing some good work for my club, scoring some crucial points for Lublin. I am in the PGE Ekstraliga final with my teammates right now.

“The gold medal in SGP2 is a big achievement. I think if I work really hard this winter, next season could be even better.”

Pollestad’s Torun triumph was the biggest individual success on the world stage by a Norwegian-born rider since Rune Holta won the 2010 FIM Scandinavian Speedway GP at Swedish track Malilla on his way to fourth place in that year’s FIM Speedway Grand Prix World Championship – while representing Poland.

Having brought the Norwegian flag well and truly back into the FIM Speedway spotlight, Pollestad was delighted to deliver a night to remember after semi-final exits in rounds one and two. He said: “I feel very good because I struggled a little bit in the first SGP2 meeting in Malilla. That wasn’t the best. In Riga, I didn’t have my own bike and raced on borrowed equipment.

“In this meeting, someone told me that if I got a good result in Torun, it was possible to take the bronze medal. I just had to do everything I could to make my fans at home proud. The last meeting I did here in the Under-24 Ekstraliga for Stal Gorzow was pretty good.

“I just didn’t talk too much. I focused on every heat and made good starts. I had to try to set up the bike for the starts and I had some good mechanics, who really put in the work and helped me a lot. I am very happy.”

Pollestad is by far Norwegian speedway’s brightest prospect and hopes to keep starring for his country on the world stage.

He said: “I hope that we can have a Norwegian rider who is on top. I will try my best in the winter to be better.”

Report by Speedway GP – Images by Jarek Pabijan

The post Poland’s Wiktor Przyjemski wins 2024 FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship appeared first on Speedway Hub UK.

Parnitskyi, 17, became the first Ukrainian winner of a major FIM Speedway event when he triumphed at round two of the FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship after an epic final showdown with Denmark’s 16-year-old sensation Mikkel Andersen.

Andersen – in his first season in 500cc competition – blazed around Parnitskyi going into the last lap of a wheel-to-wheel final, but the 2022 FIM Speedway Youth (SGP3) world champion crashed after picking up too much drive as he flew into bends one and two.

This allowed Parnitskyi to pounce for the win, with Poland’s Wiktor Przyjemski following him home in second place to claim an eight-point lead at the top of the SGP2 standings going into the final round of the series in Polish city Torun on September 27.

Przyjemski has 38 points in first place overall, with Parnitskyi now second on 30 heading to Torun. Whether or not he overhauls Przyjemski for an historic title triumph in three weeks, Parnitskyi is already elated to have celebrated the biggest Ukrainian victory on a speedway track – and he hopes it will inspire a new generation of riders from his country to follow him on to the world stage.

He said: “I am very happy and proud to represent my country. Hopefully in the future there will be more racers from Ukraine, and we can all represent our country.

“I think we had a really good and fair battle between me and Mikkel Andersen. I am happy we could have that fight, and it wasn’t only about the start. On the first corner, we changed position, and it was a very fun race.”

Asked about his title chances in Torun, Parnitskyi is keeping his feet firmly on the ground as he goes for gold.

He said: “What can I say? We will race the last round in Torun, and we will see what the future brings.”

If Przyjemski reaches the DeWalt FIM SGP2 of Poland – Torun final on September 27, the Lublin rider will become Poland’s latest FIM Speedway Under-21 world champion.

He hopes a partisan Polish crowd at the final round can see him take the title. He said: “Obviously we have a lot of Polish World Under-21 champions. I hope I will be the next one.

“We have the final round in Torun, and that’s not my favourite track. But I will go there, do my best and hopefully I can win the title.

“I had a lot of luck today. I couldn’t find the speed, although I made good starts and that’s what matters. I was able to put some vital points on to my standings.

“I am eight points ahead of my rivals, but I have to be focused. It is great for me that the final round will be staged in Poland. I think I will get some support from the Polish fans, and that’s really important for me. Hopefully I will make everybody happy.”

Third-placed Andersen topped the timing charts in Qualifying Practice for the second time in as many rounds. He scored seven points in his five heat races – just scraping into the semi-finals on countback.

But Andersen found fantastic pace when it mattered most and was elated to reach the SGP2 rostrum in his debut season.

He said: “I am pretty pleased to be on the podium. It’s definitely not what I expected at the start of the meeting. I had a really bad start.

“I had a bit of luck in my semi-final. There were only three riders after Sebastian Szostak was disqualified, but that’s speedway sometimes. I am just happy to be on the podium. I am happy with what I have done this year. I have improved a lot by riding with all the top boys.”

Results

Standings

Words by Speedway GP – Images by Jarek Pabijan

The post Ukrainian pioneer Parnitskyi races to SGP2 victory in Riga appeared first on Speedway Hub UK.

Gusts joins wild card Nikita Kaulins in flying the home flag in round two of the FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship (SGP2) at Bikernieki – Latvia’s leading motorsport venue on the outskirts of its stunning capital Riga.

The opening round at Swedish venue Malilla on June 14 saw Polish riders pack the podium as Wiktor Przyjemski took the win ahead of runner-up Bartosz Banbor and third-placed Sebastian Szostak. Gusts collected seven points at the Skrotfrag Arena, but he’s determined to improve on that tally when he lines up on the Riga track where his speedway career began.

History was made by Latvia’s under-21 team in 2023, when Gusts led them to the country’s first FIM Speedway team medal as they picked up FIM Speedway of Nations – SON2 bronze.

The 21-year-old is in his final year as an SGP2 rider and is yet to win a round. He would love to follow up last season’s SON2 success by ensuring the Latvian national anthem is played loud and proud at Bikernieki on Friday.

He said: “Last year’s SON2 event was a pretty good meeting for me, and I would like to do the same in SGP2.

“Of course, it would be great to win here. Everyone wants to win. I do not have a long time left in SGP2 – this is my last year. It’s my last chance.

“It’s always fun to ride in Riga because it’s my home track. I started my speedway career here. Of course, the Latvian fans are the best, so it will be very good to compete here.”

Gusts hopes his experience on a technical Bikernieki track will give him the edge over his international rivals.

He added: “I think I have an advantage because I have done some laps here. I really feel confident for Friday. We will see how my form, the track and the starts will be. But I feel pretty confident about it.”

The next step for Gusts is to chase a spot in the FIM Speedway Grand Prix series in the coming years. While he accepts that he isn’t currently ready to race in the senior World Championship, he hopes he can follow 2024 Speedway GP star Andzejs Lebedevs in flying the Latvian flag on the sport’s biggest stage.

He said: “This will be a too big a step for me now. I want to make small steps, but if the time comes, it would be nice. I am watching the guys on TV and of course I would love to try Speedway GP.”

Gusts will be among the track reserves for Saturday’s OlyBet FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga at what’s set to be a packed stadium. With two days of epic FIM Speedway action in store, Gusts hopes fans will have a great time in Latvia – at Bikernieki and beyond.

He said: “I hope a lot of fans will come to Latvia because Riga is a wonderful city. It’s very beautiful, especially the old town. The rest of Latvia is great – there is lots of nature.

“I hope a lot of tourists will come here and see Latvia has the potential to grow speedway. I hope speedway in Riga grow after these races and new riders will come. Then maybe there will be a very strong national team in the coming years.”

Tickets for the DeWalt FIM SGP2 of Latvia – Riga on Friday and Saturday’s OlyBet FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga are still available online. 

Secure your spot at Bikernieki and book HERE now.

DeWALT FIM SGP2 OF LATVIA – RIGA STARTING LINE-UP (in FIM ranking order with rider numbers):

785. Nazar Parnitskyi (Ukraine)
355. Sebastian Szostak (Poland)
43. Casper Henriksson (Sweden)
388. Bastian Pedersen (Denmark)
505. Wiktor Przyjemski (Poland)
117. Jesper Knudsen (Denmark)
110. Jakub Krawczyk (Poland)
545. William Drejer (Denmark)
999. Mathias Pollestad (Norway)
144. Francis Gusts (Latvia)
22. Leon Flint (Great Britain)
243. Philip Hellström-Bängs (Sweden)
137. Bartosz Bańbor (Poland)
108. Villads Nagel (Denmark)
97. Mikkel Andersen (Denmark)
16. Nikita Kaulins (Latvia – wild card)
17. Damirs Filimonovs (Latvia – first track reserve)
18. Artjoms Juhno (Latvia – second track reserve)

Words by Speedway GP – Feature Image by Jarek Pabijan

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The three-round 2024 FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship series gets underway with the 3P Logistics FIM SGP2 of Sweden – Malilla this Friday, before the action moves to Latvian capital Riga on Friday, September 6 and concludes at Polish venue Torun on Friday, September 27 – the night before the Speedway GP world champion is crowned at the Marian Rose Motoarena.

Riders from seven different countries contest this season’s SGP2 series, with Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Great Britain, Latvia, Ukraine and Norway all represented in the 15-rider line-up.

With 2022 and 2023 SGP2 champion Mateusz Cierniak now too old to compete in the series, a new champion is guaranteed in 2024.

Twelve riders secured their places in the championship last Saturday, with the top four in each of the three qualifiers at German track Ludwigslust, French club Macon and former FIM Italian Speedway GP venue Terenzano all guaranteed spots in the series.

PERMANENT PICKS

The field has been completed by three permanent wild cards selected by the SGP2 Commission, including Mikkel Andersen – son of 1997 FIM British Speedway GP winner Brian. He makes the step up into SGP2 after topping the podium in the 2022 SGP3 Final – the FIM Speedway Youth World Championship for 250cc under-16 riders.

Andersen is joined by Villads Nagel, who finished second at that 2022 SGP3 event in Wroclaw, Poland. Initially, both riders narrowly missed out on guaranteed places in SGP2, with Andersen losing out in a run-off at his qualifier in Macon, France, while Nagel finished fifth in Terenzano following a run-off.

But both have been promoted into the full series line-up, with Bartosz Banbor joining them after he took fifth place at his qualifier in Ludwigslust, where he was just a point short of the final qualification berth.

SWEDISH STARS

The trio are joined by Swedish duo Casper Henriksson and Philip Hellstrom-Bangs. They will represent the host nation in Malilla on Friday, with Hellstrom-Bangs also serving as second track reserve in the 3P Logistics FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla on Saturday.

Additionally, there will be a Swedish wild card for Friday’s SGP2 event – Anton Jansson wears the famous No.16 race jacket, with Sammy van Dyck (No.17) and 2023 SGP3 champion Rasmus Karlsson (No.18) serving as track reserves at the Skrotfrag Arena.

SECURING THEIR SPOTS

The full SGP2 line-up also features Ukrainian star Nazar Parnitskyi – last year’s first series substitute rider – who won the Ludwigslust qualifier with a fantastic 15-point maximum to gain a full spot in the 2024 SGP2 series.

Denmark will have five SGP2 title contenders this year as Andersen and Nagel are joined by Bastian Pedersen – nephew of triple Speedway GP world champion Nicki Pedersen. Jesper Knudsen – younger brother of 2022 SGP2 rider Jonas Knudsen – has also qualified.

The Danes will also be represented by William Drejer, who famously finished third in the 2023 FIM SGP2 of Denmark – Vojens, despite starting the night as a track reserve.

Poland will be represented by 2022 and 2023 SON2 gold medallist Wiktor Przyjemski, who joins Banbor, Jakub Krawczyk and Sebastian Szostak in bidding to follow Cierniak into the elite club of Polish World Under-21 champions.

Former British Under-21 champion Leon Flint, who races for British clubs Birmingham and Glasgow, also competes in the full series, with Norwegian shooting star Mathias Pollestad, who starred in the 2023 SGP2 championship, back in the race for the rostrum this year.

SUPER SUBS

The SGP2 series substitute riders have been confirmed, with American young gun Slater Lightcap top of the list. He will be the first rider called into action if one of the 15 permanent members of the championship are forced out of a round due to injury, illness or other reasons.

Australia’s Tate Zischke is the second substitute, with British rider Dan Thompson taking the third reserve spot. Austria’s Sebastian Kossler is fourth substitute and Slovenia’s Anze Grmek rounds off the list at No.5.

Tickets for Friday’s SGP2 event and Saturday’s Speedway GP in Malilla are on sale now, with free entry for SGP4 – the FIM Speedway Youth World Cup for 11-13-year-olds on Saturday at 12:00 CET. Secure your spot at the Skrotfrag Arena and book online HERE now.

2024 FIM SGP2 – FIM SPEEDWAY UNDER-21 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP LINE-UP (in FIM ranking order with rider numbers):

785. Nazar Parnitskyi (Ukraine)

355. Sebastian Szostak (Poland)

43. Casper Henriksson (Sweden)

388. Bastian Pedersen (Denmark)

505. Wiktor Przyjemski (Poland)

117. Jesper Knudsen (Denmark)

110. Jakub Krawczyk (Poland)

545. William Drejer (Denmark)

999. Mathias Pollestad (Norway)

144. Francis Gusts (Latvia)

22. Leon Flint (Great Britain)

243. Philip Hellström-Bängs (Sweden)

137. Bartosz Bańbor (Poland)

108. Villads Nagel (Denmark)

97. Mikkel Andersen (Denmark)

SUBSTITUTE RIDERS:

28. Slater Lightcap (USA)

31. Tate Zischke (Australia)

89. Dan Thompson (Great Britain)

609. Sebastian Kössler (Austria)

226. Anze Grmek (Slovenia)

Words by SpeedwayGP – Feature Image by Jarek Pabijan

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