Wild card Anders Thomsen can’t wait to return to the sport’s biggest stage as he bids to give his home crowd a second straight Danish winner in the Deluxe Homeart FIM Speedway GP of Denmark – Vojens on Saturday.
The stakes are high in Denmark’s biggest motorsport event as Poland’s Bartosz Zmarzlik arrives at Vojens with the chance to wrap up an historic fifth Speedway GP World Championship – if he holds a lead of 21 points or more after racing on Saturday.
This would see him become only the fourth rider in history to win five or more world titles, and only the second after New Zealand legend Ivan Mauger to win three in a row.
Zmarzlik is on 141 points and has a 17-point lead at the top of the standings over Swedish star Fredrik Lindgren, who has 124, with Great Britain’s Robert Lambert in third place on 117 as he chases what would be his first ever Speedway GP World Championship medal on the Vojens track where he finished second in 2022 and fourth last year.
With 2023 Vojens winner Leon Madsen and European champion Mikkel Michelsen both ruled out of their home event due to injury, local hopes will be carried by three-time Danish champion Thomsen and 2022 Danish champion Rasmus Jensen, who has received a late call-up for the event.
Thomsen races for Vojens club Sønderjylland Elite Speedway in the Danish Speedwayligaen and makes only his second SGP appearance at his home club, having missed the past two FIM Danish Speedway GPs due to injury.
The former FIM Gorzow Speedway GP winner is determined to give fans a night to remember on the track where he first experienced world-class speedway as a child as he makes his first SGP appearance in over a year.
He said: “I am looking forward to getting back into the Grand Prix, especially the Danish GP. It’s always something special to be in the Danish GP in front of the Danish spectators with the Danish flag on your chest.
“I know the other 15 riders are going there to try and stand on top of the podium and it’s also the goal for me to get to the top.
“I know the track well. I have raced there for the last four years in the league. Of course, things can change a lot with the track for a GP. But I will stay focused, stay calm, do what I normally do and see how far I can get.”
This is Speedway GP’s 18th visit to one of world speedway’s most storied venues, which celebrates its 50th anniversary of racing in 2025 after being built and developed by three-time FIM Speedway world champion Ole Olsen, with his son Jacob taking charge in 2019.
Thomsen is proud to take to one of the sport’s most iconic tracks, where he saw legends of the sport race as a child.
He said: “I have been at Vojens since I was a kid, and I remember when my dad used to bring me here for the GPs. It was always something special. I always remember those days.
“I remember the old GP flags we had back in the day. You could get a black and white chequered flag with the SGP logo on. You could also get it in red and white. I remember when I was really small, some fans left their flags behind. I jumped over to get them and I still have them at home. I was maybe eight years old back then. It’s something special and there is real history there – with the GP and Ole Olsen. It’s a big thing.”
Thomsen missed out on a place in the 2024 Speedway GP series after finishing 15th in the standings on 36 points, having missed the final three rounds due to a hand injury sustained in a crash at the 2023 OlyBet FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga.
The disappointment of losing his SGP status hasn’t slowed Thomsen down. As well as winning his third Danish Championship, he is currently sixth in Poland’s PGE Ekstraliga averages on 2.198 points per race.
Thomsen could regain his Speedway GP status at the FIM SGP Challenge at Czech track Pardubice on October 4, when the top four riders earn places in the 2025 series. But in the meantime, Thomsen is making the most of what he hopes will be a short break from Speedway GP. The Odense-born man said: “I feel it has been good for me to have a year out, and hopefully I can come back even stronger. I would say I am taking care of myself this year. I don’t want to get injured, so that I can get back to the top and go flat out.”
2024 DELUXE HOMEART FIM SPEEDWAY GP OF DENMARK – VOJENS LINE-UP:
95. Bartosz Zmarzlik (Poland)
66. Fredrik Lindgren (Sweden)
54. Martin Vaculik (Slovakia)
25. Jack Holder (Australia)
67. Rasmus Jensen (Denmark – substitute for 30. Leon Madsen)
505. Robert Lambert (Great Britain)
99. Dan Bewley (Great Britain)
46. Max Fricke (Australia – substitute for 69. Jason Doyle)
71. Maciej Janowski (Poland – substitute for 108. Tai Woffinden)
233. Kim Nilsson (Sweden – substitute for 155. Mikkel Michelsen)
29. Andzejs Lebedevs (Latvia)
744. Kai Huckenbeck (Germany)
415. Dominik Kubera (Poland)
48. Szymon Wozniak (Poland)
201. Jan Kvech (Czech Republic)
16. Anders Thomsen (Denmark – wild card)
17. Frederik Jakobsen (Denmark – first track reserve)
18. Mads Hansen (Denmark – second track reserve)
VOJENS FANZONE
Fans can enjoy a full afternoon of entertainment before racing gets started at Vojens as the Deluxe Homeart FIM Danish Speedway GP fanzone opens at 14:30 CET.
Located on the Vojens training track, the fanzone features the official Speedway GP autograph session, where fans can meet all 18 riders from 16:30 CET and grab a signature or selfie.
Grab some exclusive freebies from Monster Energy athletes Fredrik Lindgren, Jack Holder and Dan Bewley from 17:00. The Monster Energy area will be open throughout the afternoon.
There will also be a special Q&A with some VIP guests in the fanzone at 17:45, with fans welcome to ask their questions.
Win Speedway GP prizes with our quizzes on the big screen at 16:00 and 17:30. Fans can also pose for a photo with the Speedway GP trophy throughout the afternoon and meet FIM Speedway mascot Speedy, who will be teaming up with Vojens mascot Felix at 14:45 and 17:30.
There will be a vintage speedway bikes exhibition, other photo opportunities, the We Love Speedway sign, food and drink stalls, the Speedway GP merchandise shop and much, much more. The fanzone closes at 18:30, just before racing gets underway at 19:00.
WHERE TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND: TUNE INTO MAX
Deluxe Homeart FIM Speedway GP of Denmark – Vojens – Saturday, September 14 at 19:00 CET
European fans can enjoy all this weekend’s action on Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming home Max, which is officially live and available to watch across selected countries. Max has something for everyone, combining HBO Max’s can’t-miss boxsets, Discovery’s real-life entertainment and Eurosport’s world-class sports. It is the Speedway GP series’ new streaming home.
Fans with access to discovery+ or the Eurosport App can still 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 and rider reaction times.
Coverage of Speedway GP is available worldwide with digital and linear coverage – see below for more details of where to watch.
ACROSS EUROPE: Live on Max, discovery+ and Eurosport platforms
BRITAIN: Live on discovery+ and Eurosport 2
POLAND: Live on Max and Eurosport Extra in Player
SWEDEN: Live on Max and discovery+
DENMARK: Live on 6’eren, Max and discovery+
AUSTRALIA: Live on Fox Sports
GERMANY: Live on discovery+
ACROSS THE BALTICS: Live on Eurosport platforms, Go3 and TV3 Sport channels
CZECH REPUBLIC: Live on Max and Eurosport platforms
SLOVAKIA: Live on RTVS, Max and Eurosport platforms
CROATIA: Live on Max and Eurosport platforms
USA: Live on MAVTV
AUSTRIA: Live on discovery+
NORWAY: Live on Max and discovery+
FINLAND: Live on Max and discovery+
ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN: Live on SportsMax
ACROSS ASIA: Live on beINSPORTS
REST OF THE WORLD: Live on Staylive
Words by Speedway GP – Feature Image by Taylor Lanning
