Great Britain racer Robert Lambert is already hungry for his next FIM Speedway Grand Prix win as he bids to seal SGP World Championship silver at the DeWalt FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Torun on Saturday evening.

The two-time FIM Speedway of Nations winner ended months of talk about when he would land his first SGP victory by topping the podium at the Deluxe Homeart FIM Speedway GP of Denmark – Vojens on September 14.

With Bartosz Zmarzlik taking second place that night, the Polish icon sealed his fifth Speedway GP World Championship – becoming only the second rider in history after New Zealand legend Ivan Mauger to win three in a row, as well as moving within one gold medal of Mauger and Swedish great Tony Rickardsson’s all-time record of six.

Zmarzlik will collect the trophy at Torun’s iconic Marian Rose Motoarena, which stages its 17th Speedway GP round on Saturday. He will be joined on the podium by Lambert, whose Vojens victory guarantees him either a silver or bronze medal as he becomes only the third Brit to reach the podium in the SGP era since 1995 – joining triple Speedway GP world champion Tai Woffinden and 2000 Speedway GP world champion Mark Loram.

Lambert is on 137 championship points – 10 ahead of Swedish rival Fredrik Lindgren, who has 127. Reaching the final or finishing third in one of the semis would guarantee the Brit second place in the championship – regardless of Lindgren’s result.

Meanwhile, current world No.2 Lindgren needs eight championship points to make certain of at least third place, with Slovakia’s Martin Vaculik on 114 and Britain’s Dan Bewley on 111 still within reach.

The stakes are certainly high for Lambert on his Polish home track and, while he ended his Speedway GP victory quest in Vojens, it hasn’t quenched his thirst for podium champagne. 

Lambert can’t wait to race in front of friends and family at the Marian Rose Motoarena – a track he has called home in Poland’s PGE Ekstraliga since 2021. While some will assume this gives him home-track advantage, Lambert knows he faces no easy task on one of the sport’s most popular racetracks.

He said: “I will just do the best I can in Torun. It’s my home track, but everything is different for a GP. We will just focus, give 100 percent and I’ll just ride and enjoy my bike.

“It’s going to be great. There are a lot of home fans there and local sponsors as well. Family and friends are going to be there. It’s going to be incredible – whichever way it goes. I am looking forward to it. Let’s finish off strong.” 

Zmarzlik, Lambert, Lindgren, Vaculik and Bewley are all guaranteed places in the Speedway GP World Championship’s top six – and therefore qualification for the 2025 Speedway GP series.

There is one final top-six spot up for grabs in Torun. Denmark’s Mikkel Michelsen currently occupies sixth place on 101 points but misses the meeting due to injuries sustained in the OlyBet FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga on September 7.

Australia’s Jack Holder is just four points behind in seventh spot on 97 and needs five points to be sure of overhauling Michelsen. But the 2022 FIM Speedway of Nations world champion needs 11 to guarantee sixth place with Poland’s Dominik Kubera – eighth on 88 – also in the running.

Four riders will earn 2025 Speedway GP places at the FIM SGP Challenge in Pardubice, Czech Republic on October 4, with four riders also receiving wild cards from the SGP Commission. 

One rider who heads to Torun without the pressure of fighting for his Speedway GP future is Latvia’s Andzejs Lebedevs, who sealed this year’s Speedway European Championship title in Chorzow, Poland last Saturday – earning himself a guaranteed place in Speedway GP for next season.

Lebedevs became Latvia’s first-ever SGP finalist at the Deluxe Homeart FIM Danish Speedway GP, taking fourth place. He has been elated with the response to his success from fans in Latvia and beyond as he prepares for his second full season in the World Championship in 2025.

Lebedevs said: “I am seeing what’s happening around me, on the internet and on social media, and people are saying that I deserve this place in Speedway GP, and I have shown I am one of the world-class riders. 

“I am really happy when people start to look to me as a world-class rider and say, ‘The GP is your place, you must be here, and you have shown it during the season.’

“I am proud of myself. I have always said it was my dream to race with the best riders and I am here finally. It was a long way to get here, and I worked hard all my life to do it. I am here, but I still want to work and do more. These successes have come a little bit slower in my career, but I am still learning and growing every day. Hopefully in Speedway GP, success will come soon.” 

TORUN FANZONE

Fans can enjoy a packed programme of entertainment before racing gets started as the DeWalt FIM Torun Speedway GP fanzone opens at 14:00 CET.

Located next to the Marian Rose Motoarena – close to bends three and four and the karting 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 at the Monster Energy Rig Riot from 17:00. The Monster Energy area will be open throughout the afternoon.

There will be Monster Energy Trials action at 14:15, 16:00 and 18:00, with Monster Energy BMX shows at 14:45, 15:45 and 17:45.

Win Speedway GP prizes with our quizzes on the big screen at 14:45 and 17:45. Fans can also pose for a photo with the Speedway GP trophy throughout the afternoon and Qualifying Practice will be live on the big screen from 15:00.

Meet FIM Speedway mascot Speedy, who will be in the fanzone at 14:30 and 15:45, 16:45 and 17:45.

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

DeWalt FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Torun – Saturday, September 28 at 19:00 CET

European fans can enjoy all this weekend’s action on Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming home Max, 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, available in selected countries, 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 TTV, 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