Speedway GP of Poland recap – Martin Vaculik takes commanding victory, Bartosz Zmarzlik loses points to rivals

Here are the current standings heading into round nine.

• 1 Bartos Zmarzlik 121 points
• 2 Fredrik Lindgren 106 points
• 3 Robert Lambert 106 points
• 4 Mikkel Michelsen 101 points
• 5 Martin Vaculik 95 points
• 6 Jack Holder 93 points
• 7 Dan Bewley 84 points
• 8 Dominik Kubera 73 points
• 9 Leon Madsen 67 points
• 10 Andzejs Lebedevs 51 points
• 11 Szymon Wozniak 51 points
• 12 Jason Doyle 47 points
• 13 Kai Huckenbeck 46 points
• 14 Max Fricke 42 points
• 15 Jan Kvech 30 points
• 16 Tai Woffinden 23 points

Martin Vaculik took a commanding victory from the inside gate to clinch the eighth round of the FIM Speedway Grand Prix in Wroclaw, Poland.

The Slovakian rider finished top in the points table following the heats and had his pick of gates in the semi-final and final.

The former European champion was in commanding form in the final winning ahead of Fredrik Lindgren and Robert Lambert.

Reigning world champion and series leader Bartos Zmarzlik lost points to his rivals in the overall standings after suffering a mechanical in the semi-final resulting in his missing a final spot.

Vaculik also won the fourth round of the series in Prague in June and moved himself up to fifth in the championship standings.

Vaculik takes an early start from the inside gate. Lindgren and Lambert are locked in a battle for second. Vaculik holds onto his lead despite a fast finish from Lindgren in second and Lambert third.

Vaculik inside gate; Lindgren outside gate; Lambert gate two and Michelsen in gate three.

Robert Lambert and Fredrik Lindgren are set to close the gap on championship leader Zmarzlik. They both make the final along with Michelsen and Vaculik

Zmarzlik loses his way from the start going high and then his bike stops working. Lindgren takes command of the heat finishing first to book his place in the final.

Michelsen sees off the battle from Dudek to finish second. A nightmare for Zmarzlik whose chain comes off and he’s left pushing his bike and is out.

Vaculik gets a good start to lead from the inside gate. However, it’s a nightmare for Janowski whose bikes stops working on the opening lap.

Lambert sees off the battle from Bewley to finish second and joins Vaculik in the final.

SEMI-FINAL 1 – Janowski, Vaculik, Lambert, Bewley

SEMI-FINAL 2 – Zmarzlik, Dudek, Lindgren, Michelsen

• Martin Vaculik 11 points
• Bartos Zmarzlik 11 points
• Patryk Dudek 10 points
• Maciej Janowski 10 points
• Fredrik Lindgreen 10 points
• Robert Lambert 10 points
• Dan Bewley 9 points
• Mikkel Michelsen 9 points
• Andzejs Lebedevs 7 points
• Leon Madsen 7 points
• Jack Holder 6 points
• Dominic Kubera 6 points
• Max Fricke 6 points
• Kai Huckenback 4 points
• Jan Kvech 3 points
• Szymon Wozniak 1 point

Lambert does the best from the early corners to take a commanding lead. Vaculik battles through from last to second with some good speed around the outside.

Lambert wins when required ahead of Vaculik and Michelsen in third.

It’s a big heat with all four needing to secure a semi-final spot. A disaster for Bewley whose chain comes off away from the start.

The race is stopped but the Brit risks being excluded. Bewley collides with Kvech into the opening corner so all four will re-start.

Bewley gets a good re-start but then makes a mistake allowing Lebedevs through to take the lead.

The two are then locked in a battle but Fricke and Kvech are also battling for third. Lebedevs wins ahead of Bewley and Fricke in third.

The re-start sees Zmarzlik take the outside and then slide through a narrow gap to take a first lap lead. Janowski has to hold his bike which tries to lift up but holds on for second ahead of Kubera in third.

The world champion is though to the semi-finals.

Leon Madsen said that the race closed up resulting in a huge crash in heat 18.

He said: “It wasn’t my intention. Suddenly going into the corner there was just no room and it was unfortunate. I’m out of the semi-final and it’s not what I was looking for. I saw the gap and unfortunately there was not enough space for all of us.”

A huge crash as Janowski has the inside before Zmarzlik has speed on the outside. However, there is a huge crash as Madsen comes inside and three bikes collide.

Everyone but Madsen goes flying into the barriers. Madsen is the rider who takes the blame and is excluded from the heat and is out of tonight’s meeting.

Madsen apologises to Kubera who appears most hurt from the crash.

Wozniak holds the inside to start before opening the door for Dudek to come flying through. Lindgren then finds some speed high on the banking and takes second.

However, Dudek is the first rider tonight to win from gate number three ahead of Lindgren in second and Holder third.

Dudek is into the semi-finals.

• Martin Vaculik 9 points
• Bartos Zmarzlik 8 points
• Maciej Janowski 8 points
• Mikkel Michelsen 8 points
• Fredrik Lindgreen 8 points
• Dan Bewley 7 points
• Patryk Dudek 7 points
• Leon Madsen 7 points
• Robert Lambert 7 points
• Jack Holder 5 points
• Dominic Kubera 5 points
• Max Fricke 5 points
• Andzejs Lebedevs 4 points
• Kai Huckenback 4 points
• Jan Kvech 3 points
• Szymon Wozniak 1 point

Janowski takes an early lead on the inside but comes under pressure from Lebedev sib a really tight heat.

Janowski eventually rides away with it and Lebedevs sneaks through for second and Dudek finishes third.

Zmarzlik gets the perfect start on the inside and the battle is on behind. Lambert initially led the fight but is past by Lindgren.

It’s Lindgren on the charge and he challenges Zmarzlik for the win. However, Zmarzlik holds on through the final turn ahead of Lindgren in second and Lambert third.

It’s an important heat with riders needing to pick up maximum points. Madsen has a good start and after going wide on the opening lap Fricke is challenging Huckenbeck for second.

Holder made a first lap mistake and is left chasing in fourth. Madsen wins from Fricke in second and Huckenbeck third.

Kubera has the inside gate which is quickest. Bewley is trapped down at the bottom of the track and is battling with Michelsen.

Bewley eventually comes through on the third lap and sees off the Kubera challenge, a third place for Michelsen.

• Martin Vaculik 9 points
• Mikkel Michelsen 9 points
• Patryk Dudek 6 points
• Fredrik Lindgreen 6 points
• Robert Lambert 6 points
• Bartos Zmarzlik 5 points
• Maciej Janowski 5 points
• Jack Holder 5 points
• Dan Bewley 4 points
• Leon Madsen 3 points
• Kai Huckenback 3 points
• Dominic Kubera 3 points
• Jan Kvech 3 points
• Max Fricke 3 points
• Andzejs Lebedevs 2 points
• Szymon Wozniak 1 point

Kubera goes quickest around the inside to take the early lead. However, Fricke tries to respond on the inside but gets caught in a rut and looses the front end of his bike ending up in the barrier.

Fricke is okay but excluded from the re-start.

Vaculik gets away quickest on the re-start but briefly loses the lead to Kubera. However, Vaculik comes back strongly and then commands from the front to win ahead of Kubera in second and Lindgren in third.

Holder is passed on the inside by Michelsen who has some speed on the opening lap. Kvech also passes Holder taking second, while Janowski is struggling out the back.

Michelsen takes back-to-back race wins and finishes ahead of Kvech in second and Holder third.

Bewley starts on the inside and needs a win after two disappointing heats. Bewley starts quickest, while Dudek challenges Lambert for second.

A change of equipment for Bewley has worked and he commands the heat ahead of Lambert in second and Madsen comes through for third, passing Dudek late on.

Lebedevs races away from the inside with Zmarzlik in his tracks during the early stages.

The world champion has to work hard but takes the lead on the final lap to win the heat. Lebedevs is unfortunate in second and Huckenbeck finishes third.

• Martin Vaculik 6 points
• Patryk Dudek 6 points
• Fredrik Lindgreen 5 points
• Maciej Janowski 5 points
• Jack Holder 4 points
• Mikkel Michelsen 4 points
• Robert Lambert 4 points
• Leon Madsen 3 points
• Max Fricke 3 points
• Bartos Zmarzlik 2 points
• Kai Huckenbeck 2 points
• Dan Bewley 1 point
• Dominik Kubera 1 point
• Szymon Wozniak 1 point
• Jan Kvech 1 point
• Andzejs Lebedevs 0 points

Three of the world championship challengers go head-to-head in this heat.

Zmarzlik was pointless from his opening heat so needs something from this. Vaculik starts quickest on the inside and Zmarzlik has to battle for second.

However, Vaculik is away to win with Zmarzlik putting pressure on in second and Holder in third.

Dudek with a brilliant first lap move to gain speed and then pass Huckenbeck to take the lead. Dudek takes victory ahead of Huckenbeck who is under pressure from Kvech.

From the inside Michelsen leads away with Lindgren and Madsen battling for second. Michelsen is under pressure at the front but Lindgren gets caught in a rut costing him some time.

The Danish rider holds on to win ahead of Lindgren and Madsen third.

The track is slightly damp and the riders are trying to make grooves ahead of the heat. Wozniak has changed bike ahead of the heat and starts in the middle.

Lambert looks quickest away from the tape, but Fricke closes the door outside and stops his move. That battle allows Janowski to take the lead and win, with Lambert coming through for second and Fricke third.

Tensions are there between Jack Holder and Robert Lambert after the pair went head to head in their first race tonight.

At one point Lambert appeared to kick out at his opponent. The Brit claimed afterwards that his foot slipped.

Zmarzlik is very slow off the start as wildcard Dudek takes an early lead.

Fricke and Michelsen are left battling for the remaining points as Zmarzlik is a distant fourth. Dudek wins ahead of Fricke in second and Michelsen third.

Hometown rider Janowski somehow manages to crash on the way to the tape. However, he eventually starts.

Lingren gets a perfect start from inside but is challenged by Janowski on the opening lap. Lingren holds on and finishes ahead of Janowski in second and Bewley third.

Holder has the outside gate and rides right against the hoardings looking for the quickest line. He takes the lead only for Lambert to come roaring up the inside.

Holder and Lambert go head-to-head leaning on each other. However, Holder eventually has the speed to hold on from Lambert in second and Kubera in third.

The riders are lining up for the first heat at a sold-out stadium.

Four abreast through the first turn and Vaculik uses his pace from the outside gate to take a clear lead. The battle is behind with Wozniak and Madsen constantly changing positions.

Eventually it’s Vaculik ahead of Madsen in second and Wozniak third.

The riders presentation has taken place and the Polish national anthem observed. We are almost ready to go on a pleasant evening in Wroclaw.

Polish rider Patryk Dudek is tonight’s wildcard after finishing second in the Polish national championships. There are 18 riders tonight.

Robert Lambert was fastest in qualification earlier today with his time of 14.8 quicker than Max Fricke in second and Maciej Janowski. Here is how tonight’s heats will line-up

Australian Jason Doyle is set to miss to miss the remainder of the season injured following a crash. Doyle won the second round in Poland and was a title contender before a crash ruined his season.

Bartos Zmarzlik is tipped by his rivals to return with a bang on his home turf in Wroclaw this evening.

Home rider Dan Bewley took victory in the last round at Cardiff, while reigning world champion Bartos Zmarzlik had a nightmare.

British riders Bewley and Robert Lambert finished one-two to send the home fans wild in Cardiff two weeks ago.

A runner-up spot for Lambert took him into second overall and cut the gap to Zmarzlik to 21 points. However, the reigning world champion is on his home turf this evening.

After seven of this season’s 11 rounds Bartosz Zmarzlik looks on course to win his fifth world title.

Here are the current standings heading into round eight.

• 1 Bartos Zmarzlik 111 points
• 2 Robert Lambert 90 points
• 3 Fredrik Lindgreen 88 points
• 4 Jack Holder 87 points
• 5 Mikkel Michelsen 87 points
• 6 Martin Vaculik 75 points
• 7 Dan Bewley 73 points
• 8 Dominik Kubera 68 points
• 9 Leon Madsen 60 points
• 10 Szymon Wozniak 50 points
• 11 Jason Doyle 47 points
• 12 Kai Huckenbeck 43 points
• 13 Andzejs Lebedevs 43 points
• 14 Max Fricke 38 points
• 15 Jan Kvech 28 points
• 16 Tai Woffinden 23 points
• 17 Maciej Janowski 9 points
• 18 Oskar Fajfer 6 points
• 19 Vaclav Milik 4 points
• 20 Tom Brennan 4 points
• 21 Mateusz Cierniak 3 points
• 22 Matej Zagar 2 points
• 23 Norick Blödorn 2 points
• 24 Kim Nilsson 1 point

Eurosport and discovery+ will show live coverage of every round of 2024 Speedway Grand Prix action.

Every meeting, including qualifying, will be broadcast in full and will be accessible live-on-demand on discovery+ and Eurosport’s digital platforms.

Eurosport.com will provide live coverage, reaction and video highlights of every single meeting.

Good evening and welcome to round eight of the FIM Speedway Grand Prix calendar in Wroclaw, Poland.

This is the second of three visits to Poland this season for the series and home star Bartosz Zmarzlik will once again be looking to impress.

Zmarzlik has a healthy 21-point lead with just four rounds remaining of this season’s calendar.