Speedway Prague GP 2023 as it happened - Martin Vaculik takes victory for second year in a row

Updated 03/06/2023 at 21:16 GMT

Hello and welcome everybody to Eurosport's live coverage of the Speedway Prague GP that will take place on Saturday June 3. The qualifying will be at lunchtime with the main event set to come later in the evening. Last time out Swedish star Fredrik Lindgren took a thrilling victory to close the gap on Bartosz Zmarzlik in the standings to just a single point.

'What a way to win!' - Lindgren takes dramatic Speedway GP victory in Warsaw

Thank you and goodbye!

That brings an end to a brilliant evening of speedway in Prague, but don't worry, it's not gone for long. Join us next Saturday for the German Grand Prix, if it's anything like tonight you won't want to miss it!

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WATCH - Fricke tops qualification for Prague before top 5 riders pick their lanes

00:04:15

03/06/2023 at 14:38

WATCH: Vaculik makes it count in final

'Stunning stuff' - Vaculik storms to victory in Prague for second year in a row

Championship standings

1. Bartosz Zmarzlik - 50
2. Freddie Lindgren - 47
3. Jack Holder - 42
4. Martin Vaculik - 41
5. Jason Doyle - 36
6. Robert Lambert - 32
7. Dan Bewley - 32
8. Leon Madsen - 30
9. Tai Woffinden - 24
10. Max Fricke - 24
11. Mikkel Michelsen - 22
12. Patryk Dudek - 17
13. Maciej Janowski - 12
14. Anders Thomsen - 12
15. Kim Nilsson - 6
16 Bartlomiej Kowalski - 4

Final: Madsen, Vaculik, Zmarzlik, Holder

MARTIN VACULIK WINS!!! After such an entertaining evening it was a more straightforward final as Vaculik hit the front at the first turn and held on from there. Leon Madsen kept close but could never pull a move, while Jack Holder in third and Bartosz Zmarzlik were out of the running.

Final gate selections

It's pretty open here, Madsen will look to repeat the feat from semi-final.

Final: Madsen, Vaculik, Zmarzlik, Holder

WATCH: Woffinden ends night on the floor

It just wasn't Woffinden's night despite winning the opening heat...

'He's off the bike!' - Woffinden eliminated after suffering fall in heat 17 in Prague

Semi-final 2: Madsen, Zmarzlik, Lambert, Lindgren

Will this be Leon Madsen's night? He caught the start but Robert Lambert just got bullied out of second by Bartosz Zmarzlik. The pair were neck-and-neck out of the first bend but Zmarzlik held his ground and Lambert yielded, ending his night. Freddie Lindgren was never in the fight for second but ended up coming back to beat Lambert to third by 0.003s.

Semi final 1: Holder, Bewley, Dudek, Vaculik

Heart-in-mouth stuff that! Martin Vaculik takes the win after a stunning first lap but it's gutting for Bewley. He's been the man to beat all night but just lost out to Vaculik and Patryk Dudek off the start. Bewley tried everything battling Dudek but then lost out to Holder who launched an opportunistic move to take second.

Semi-final gate selections

Dan Bewley went straight for the blue, while Jack Holder looked pleased to claim the inside. Patryk Dudek sprung a bit of a surprise picking gate three while Martin Vaculik nearly stacked it taking the outside.

The second semi-final selection started the same but Freddie Lindgren took the outside, leaving Lambert on gate three.

Semi-final 1: Holder, Bewley, Dudek, Vaculik

Semi-final 2: Madsen, Zmarzlik, Lambert, Lindgren

Gate success rates

It'll be an interesting semi-final gate selection with all four gates offering something. Gate two is the most successful with six wins, the outside gates have four wins apiece whiile five heats have been won from the inside.

WATCH: Doyle hits the deck for second time

'It is a strange one' - Doyle down again in heat 17 in Prague

Heat 20: Vaculik, Fricke, Nilsson, Thomsen

Martin Vaculik has booked his place in the semi-finals at the expense of Jason Doyle. Anders Thomsen really animated the race, enjoying a great battle with Max Fricke who missed out on the semis.

Heat 19: Milik, Bewley, Holder, Lambert

Jack Holder has done the impossible! Dan Bewley once again got the best start but Holder rocketed up the back straight and passed Bewley up the inside - the Brit is still top of the standings though. Robert Lambert was never in the race and wildcard Vaclav Milik finally picks up a point.

Heat 18: Zmarzlik, Michelsen, Lindgren, Madsen

After the fun and games in Heat 17 that was just what the doctor ordered. Bartosz Zmarzlik cleared off from the start but it was a nightmare for Freddie Lindgren against his championship rival, he was passed by Mikkel Michelsen and briefly Leon Madsen before retaking third.

Heat 17: Woffinden, Dudek, Lindgren, Janowski

Jason Doyle wins, Tai Woffinden's night is over. Patryk Dudek led Maciej Janowski in the final heat, in the second running Doyle was in the lead but under pressure from Woffinden, before the Brit tried to sling it around the outside of turn four on the third lap. He dug in on the grip and slammed into the barriers, while Dudek was leading an interesting battle with Janowski. Woffinden's excluded, Doyle will have to go again but he was lucky to be there after hitting the deck at the first start, he tried to cut back on Woffinden there but went way too early and got a fortunate 'four riders back' call.

Standings after Heat 16

With one heat left for each rider, Robert Lambert and Tai Woffinden have work to do.

1. Dan Bewley - 11
2. Leon Madsen - 10
3. Freddie Lindgren - 8
4. Robert Lambert - 8
5. Bartosz Zmarzlik - 8
6. Maciej Janowski - 7
7. Patryk Dudek - 7
8. Max Fricke - 7
9. Jack Holder - 7
10. Martin Vaculik - 6
11. Jason Doyle - 5
12. Tai Woffinden - 4
13. Mikkel Michelsen - 4
14. Anders Thomsen - 3
15. Kim Nilsson - 3
16. Vaclav Milik - 0

Heat 16: Zmarzlik, Lambert, Thomsen, Doyle

Robert Lambert caught his second electric start and won easily, Bartosz Zmarzlik found himself out the back after the opening lap but showed why he's a triple world champion, he never gave up and passed Anders Thomsen before pressuring Jason Doyle for second. Doyle held on after a tough early move on Zmarzlik.

WATCH: Bewley and Madsen in belting Heat 8 battle

Bewley's loving the night so far...

'Where did he find that from?' - Madsen and Bewley battle it out in hectic heat 8

Heat 15: Madsen, Milik, Janowski, Vaculik

Leon Madsen went two from two off the inside and looks good to reach his first semi-finals of the season. Behind it was a fantastic battle between Maciej Janowski and Martin Vaculik, the Pole got the start but Vaculik worked hard to pass him, before leaving the door open for Janowski to retake second.

That was on the re-run as Vaculik hit the deck after he tagged Janowski at the first turn.

Heat 14: Michelsen, Holder, Dudek, Nilsson

Jack Holder needed a big heat there and he got it. He nailed the start and was untroubled from there, Mikkel Michelsen and Patryk Dudek took the remaining points.

WATCH: Carnage in Heat 7

We got three starts for the price of one in a chaotic heat 7

'Big decision for the referee' - Doyle hits the dirt on re-run heat 7 in Prague

Doyle receives warning for early movement at the start of Heat 7 in Prague

Heat 13: Lindgren, Bewley, Fricke, Woffinden

Dan Bewley remains the man to beat after easting to victory in a tough heat. Freddie Lindgren tried to trouble him up the inside of the last turn on the opening lap but couldn't get his nose in, and left himself exposed for Max Fricke to come through and take second. Tai Woffinden out the back and his evening could well be over.

Gate success

It's been pretty even so far - four wins have come from the outside, two from gate three and three wins apiece from the inside two gates.

Standings after Heat 12:

1. Dan Bewley - 8
2. Bartosz Zmarzlik - 7
3. Freddie Lindgren - 7
4. Leon Madsen - 7
5. Patryk Dudek - 6
6. Robert Lambert - 5
7. Maciej Janowski - 5
8. Max Fricke - 5
9. Martin Vaculik - 5
10. Tai Woffinden - 4
11. Jack Holder - 4
12. Jason Doyle - 3
13. Anders Thomsen - 3
14. Mikkel Michelsen - 2
15. Kim Nilsson - 2
16. Vaclav Milik - 0

Heat 12: Holder, Thomsen, Janowski, Lindgren

Freddie Lindgren took the lead with a move so wide it looked like he passed through Austria. It was pretty processional from there, Anders Thomsen came under slight pressure for second from Jack Holder but never came under serious threat.

Heat 11: Dudek, Zmarzlik, Milik, Fricke

Bartosz Zmarzlik made that look so easy. He cleared off from there, Milik made a spirited run on second up the back straight but fell back to last from there, behind Patryk Dudek and Max Fricke.

Heat 10: Bewley, Vaculik, Doyle, Michelsen

Stunning start from Vaculik, Bewley struggled off the gates and was passed by Jason Doyle on the first lap. But he never gave up and got back round the outside of Doyle before chasing down Vaculik and passing him at the end of the third lap, he's loving it so far.

WATCH: Zmarzlik can't be denied

Bartosz Zmarzlik has started slowly in the first two rounds but not in Prague, he turned up the heat in heat 5:

Zmarzlik produces 'champion's performance' to win heat 5

Heat 9: Lambert, Madsen, Woffinden, Nilsson

Madsen is looking back to his best. Robert Lambert and Tai Woffinden were setting up a Battle of Britain after the opening corner but Madsen flew up the back straight to surprise both riders and take the lead off Lambert up the inside. Woffinden was third and Kim Nilsson was third.

WATCH: Bewley in top tussle with Zmarzlik

Dan Bewley's had an exciting night so far...

'Brilliant stuff' - Bewley and Zmarzlik in epic duel for second place in heat 3

Heat 8: Thomsen, Dudek, Bewley, Madsen

What a night we're having! Dan Bewley is ON IT tonight, he lost out as the riders converged at the first corner despite a decent start and dropped to third, but got past Patryk Dudek and almost caught Leon Madsen in a double-move before the Dane shut of the outside run. Bewley couldn't be denied though, he passed Madsen on the next lap to win ahead of the Dane and Dudek.

Heat 7: Nilsson, Doyle, Lindgren, Milik

Drama here! We've already had one re-run, Kim Nilsson moved early but Jason Doyle jumped the most and picks up a warning. At the second time of asking Nilsson and Doyle were glued together through the first corner and the Aussie just couldn't hang on round the outside, hitting the dirt on the exit of the corner. Big decision coming up... and it's all four riders back! Probably the fair decision in was a tough battle in the first corner.

Finally they got away clean with Doyle leading the way, Freddie Lindgren recovered from third at the start to pass Nilsson - who finished third - and he piled the pressure on before passing him on the final lap!

WATCH: Brilliant British start to the night!

It was a dream start for Tai Woffinden...

Woffinden shows rivals 'clean pair of heels' to take heat 1 in Prague

Heat 6: Fricke, Janowski, Michelsen, Lambert

Heat of the night. Max Fricke and Maciej Janowski burst out of the gates and slid to the outside as they battled, leaving room for Robert Lambert to slide through and into the lead! Janowski didn't give up the chase but had to settle for second ahead of Fricke. Brilliant by Lambert.

Heat 5: Holder, Woffinden, Vaculik, Zmarzlik

Bartosz Zmarzlik takes the win with a remarkable first lap, he was third off the start but looked like a rocket going up the back straight and squeezed past Jack Holder who looked surprised at how much ground the world champion made up. Tai Woffinden bogged down at the start and finished last.

Heat 4: Doyle, Fricke, Madsen, Holder

Throw the form book out the window for this one. Fricke got a super start and held the lead to win but was under pressure from... Leon Madsen! The Dane's finally arrived to the 2023 season, after Maciej Janowski and Patryk Dudek took wins earlier the order's looking pretty jumbled so far compared to the championship. Behind, Doyle just couldn't get going and Holder picked up a point.

Heat 3: Janowski, Nilsson, Zmarzlik, Bewley

Wow Dan Bewley! Maciej Janowski got a dream start to win the heat but it was all action behind, Bewley was last exiting the first turn but he flew up the back straight to pass Bartosz Zmarzlik. The championship co-leader kept his nose in but Bewley just had enough to keep him behind and take second. Heat of the night so far.

Heat 2: Vaculik, Lambert, Lindgren, Dudek

Patryk Dudek take a bow! He'd not won a heat so far this season but that's changed, he caught a fantastic start to swoop in from the outside into the lead ahead of Martin Vaculik. Championship co-leader Freddie Lindgren only managed third while Robert Lambert just lost out as the riders converged at the first corner.

Heat 1: Woffinden, Michelsen, Milik, Thomsen

It's a winning start for Woffinden! Pretty clean heat to start with, Woffinden and Michelsen got away first and second, while Milik forced Thomsen to take the long way round in the first corner but ultimately the Swede picks up a point.

Moments to go

We're just a few minutes away from heat 1 in Prague! British fans don't have to wait long to see their favourites in action with Tai Woffinden involved right from the off, and Robert Lambert and Dan Bewley are close behind coming up in heats 2 and 3.

Madsen looking to bounce back

After recording a middling qualifying of ninth place and three tenths back from pacesetter Max Fricke, last year's runner-up Leon Madsen is feeling confident despite two torrid rounds leaving him eleventh in the standings. That's one place ahead of Maciej Janowski, who's also underperformed so far.

Last time out

Whatever happens tonight, hopefully it's more clear cut than last time out in Warsaw. With Jack Holder clear out in front and one lap away from his first ever Grand Prix victory, Bartosz Zmarzlik appeared to bring down Jason Doyle in a desperate move. Howerver, with the home crowd behind the reigning world champion, Doyle was controversially excluded instead and Freddie Lindgren was fastest out of the gate to take victory.

Pacesetters

It's 20 minutes to go until heat 1, but we'll have to wait until the fourth heat to see the rider who was the man to beat in qualifying earlier. Aussie Max Fricke was fastest, 0.155 ahead of Britain's Dan Bewley. Patryk Dudek and and Jack Holder were also on the pace, while Jason Doyle has looked back to his best so far this season but was down in 16th, while Robert Lambert and Tai Woffinden were 11th and 12th.

Hello and welcome!

Good morning, good afternoon or goodnight wherever you're joining us from! Tapes are set to go up in 30 minutes for the first heat of the Prague GP - always an entertaining event on the calendar. Bartosz Zmarzlik and Frederik Lindgren are tied on points at the top of the championship so it's winner takes all tonight!

Track Detail - Everything you need to know about the Prague GP circuit

Track Detail - All the ins and outs of the track at the Speedway Prague GP

Did you know that no venue has hosted more Speedway GP races than Prague? And that 12 of the last 21 Speedway GP winners at Prague have gone on to win the world title the same season. Pretty neat huh?

Jack Holder looking to go 'one step better' in Prague after Warsaw silver

Jack Holder has emerged as something of a surprise package in the early rounds of the 2023 Speedway Grand Prix championship.

After narrowly missing out on a semi-final place at the first meeting of the season in Donji Kraljevec, the Australian roared back to claim a first-ever place in a final two weeks later in Warsaw.

A historic victory was thwarted after the final had to be re-run, despite Holder leading, with the 27-year-old edged out by veteran Freddie Lindgren and having to make do with second place.

Despite this, Holder sits fourth in the standings after two rounds, and ahead of round three in Prague, he is bullish about his chances of building on his impressive start to the campaign.

“Yeah. 100%,” he told Eurosport when asked about the possibility of a first top-six finish this year, or even more.

“I'm in the top four, which is pretty cool. But it's only two rounds in. You can't really look too much into that.

“100%, top six. It's what you want. Then if you're in the top six coming to the end of the season, your goalposts move a little bit and you want a little bit more, but 100% from the start of the season, it was top six.

“And now I’m in this position, just click off the rounds, one by one. And hopefully the goalposts move, and we can aim for something a little bit better.”

Read Holder's full interview with Ibrahim Mustapha here.

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