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 9.
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, Zmarzlik was beaten to the first bend by Fricke but went wide and took the lead in the second lap and after a brief change of lead held on to win his first Round of the season.
The win sees Zmarzlik extend his lead to 17 points over Lambert, who has usurped Holder by a point to be second, in the season standings.
Zmarzlik is also now in first place in all time SGP wins on 24, taking over from Australia’s Jason Crump.
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.”
The victory was Zmarzlik’s 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.
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