Zmarzlik stars to seal first Speedway GP win of 2024

Updated 15/06/2024 at 22:22 GMT

World Championship leader Bartosz Zmarzlik extended his lead at the top of the SGP Standings with a record 24th Grand Prix victory and his first of the season in Round 5 in Sweden.

It looked like the event could be cancelled with torrential rain delaying the start by almost two hours.

After a poor first race, Zmarzlik changed his bike and in Heat 9 produced the only win of the night from Gate 4.

Jack Holder was the leader after the 20 heats but was beaten by countryman Max Fricke in the first semi-final, while Zmarzlik beat Robert Lambert in a fantastic race in the second.

Opting to start from Gate 2 in the final, Zmarzlik was beaten to the first bend by Fricke but went wide and took the lead on the second lap and after a brief change of lead held on to win his first round of the season.

The Pole was understandably delighted coming out on top at the end of a dramatic evening,

“What a win,” Zmarzlik beamed, speaking to Eurosport. “It was most important to put on a show for the people.

“It was a really amazing evening. When I stood up and looked out of the window. I was thinking maybe today was today. I was nervous waiting all the time to start.”

‘An amazing evening’ – Zmarzlik thrilled with first win of season with victory in Malilla

Zmarzlik is also now in first place in all time SGP wins on 24, taking over from Australia’s Jason Crump, and his fourth success at Malilla, clearly one of his favourites on the circuit.

“I really love this track and in the end it was normal, outside had the line and inside had the line so it was possible to go everywhere,” Zmarzlik added.

The win sees Zmarzlik extend his lead to 17 points, with Brit Lambert usurping Holder by a point to take second place in the season standings.

“I’m chasing people’s heels,” Lambert said.

“It was always going to be hard from Gate 4. I didn’t make too bad a start but obviously the guys in the inside went straight in front but I managed to make a move on the first lap and hold Jack back.”

Fricke, who was not initially in the Grand Prix series but came in replacing his injured compatriot Jason Doyle and has now backed up seventh place in Prague with second in Sweden.

“It’s a good start so far, nice to be back in the GPs and I’m having fun,” Fricke said.

“I’m trying to race the boys as well as I can. It was good to come out in second place.

“I kind of made a good start and the inside line was working pretty good, I knew he was coming out wide but I couldn’t give him that spot either, so it was a tough one, but fair play to him he had a lot of speed and he was the best on the night.”