The big weekend is over for another year as the FIM SPEEDWAY GRAD PRIX set up camp at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, and what a weekend it was. The biggest names in the sport were in the capital for what is a very special event in the SGP calendar.
Slovak star MARTIN VACULIK was elated to live a childhood dream as he won the FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain – Cardiff on the “best prepared track I have ever seen” at Principality Stadium.
The Zarnovica-born racer produced an ice-cool four laps to win an epic final ahead of Australian champion Jack Holder, Poland’s Speedway GP World Championship leader Bartosz Zmarzlik and Swedish No.1 Fredrik Lindgren, who all produced a lively battle for second and third place.
Fans in the Welsh capital were treated to an epic night of racing in Britain’s biggest indoor motorsport event, which saw Great Britain star Robert Lambert reach his first-ever Cardiff semi-final, finishing fifth in the final classification with 12 championship points.
It was a cruel night for GB’s triple world champion Tai Woffinden, who crashed out of the event in heat 16 after scoring six race points from his opening three rides. There was also disappointment for 2022 Cardiff winner Dan Bewley, who hit the tapes and was disqualified from his final ride, finishing ninth overall with eight championship points.
Martin was elated to come out of top as he steps up his push for a Speedway GP World Championship medal.
Martin admits the nerves were building with every turn of the wheel as he closed in on a famous win in the final.
He said…….
“It was the longest four laps! It felt like the Zarnovica Golden Helmet Final in my home city – that’s over six laps! I was so stiff and nervous, and I was just thinking in my head, ‘Don’t break a chain!’ It’s crazy sometimes what can go through your head.
I won and I am super happy. I would like to say thank you to my team because they did a great job today – all my mechanics, (my coach) Bjarne Pedersen and also my tuners Ryszard and Daniel Kowalski. They have done a great job with my engines, and I am super happy with them.
This is something special for me and I would also like to say thank you to my wife, my kids and my parents. I am very happy to dedicate this to them as well. I know how hard we have worked together. I want to say thank you to my supporters, sponsors and everybody who helped me.”
You can watch our live Instagram of the opening ceremony here…..
The FIM British Speedway GP is so much more than 23-heats of full-throttle World Championship action as the entertainment starts long before the racing with an action-packed fanzone on Cardiff’s City Hall Lawn, where visitors can catch up with speedway supporters from all over the world.
South Wales Life Reporter Charlotte Woolssey spent the afternoon at the FanZone meeting those who had travelled far and wide to see their favourite stars in action…….
Tickets for the Cardiff event will be on sale very soon – with all those fans who register given early access to the 2024 sale.
FIM Speedway championships director Laura Manciet said…….
“It has been great to be back in Cardiff over the past week and I hope everyone enjoyed what was a fantastic night of track action. We knew our fans would be keen to plan their return visit to Cardiff, so we wanted to bring everyone news of the 2024 date as soon as possible.
Tickets will be on sale very soon, but we are giving our biggest fans their chance to purchase their seats first. We hope they will take advantage of early access to tickets and secure the best seats for next year’s event.
It has been an incredible time for Great Britain, with the country winning the 2021 FIM Speedway of Nations in Manchester and Dan Bewley becoming a three-time Speedway GP winner – starting with his famous victory in Cardiff last year.
We have already started work on delivering an unforgettable event in Cardiff on August 17, 2024, and we look forward to seeing our fans again for more great Speedway GP moments under the famous Principality Stadium roof.”
One of the highlights of the evening event is the award winning fireworks, which once again delivered a spectacular close to proceedings……
Overseeing proceedings this year was Race Director PHIL MORRIS, a proud Welshman – ex-Newport Wasps rider who lives in Cwmbran. He is delighted to play his part in a huge night of racing as 16 of the sport’s biggest stars battle it out under the iconic Principality Stadium roof.
It was practice day on Friday and our first chance to catch up with the riders, which is exactly what we did. We spoke to Dan and Tai at the end of the first press conference, and also caught up with Phil after getting to walk the track and get to see the stadium from the competitors perspective.
The date is now in the diary for 2024 as the FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain – Cardiff roars back into the Principality Stadium on Saturday, August 17th – and you can register now for exclusive early access to tickets.
Sign up HERE and you will be among the first to secure your seats for Britain’s biggest indoor motorsport event in less than 12 months, when the world’s top riders get sideways as the extreme family sport returns to the Welsh capital
