FIM Speedway Grand Prix Great Britain - Tai Woffinden ends with heartbreaking injury ahead of final in Cardiff

ByEurosport

Updated 02/09/2023 at 19:05 GMT

Welcome to Eurosport's live coverage of the latest round of Speedway Grand Prix action from Cardiff as Bartosz Zmarzlik looks to stretch his lead in Cardiff. A thrilling night of action awaits as Freddie Lindgren looks to reel in his rival after topping qualifying. Plus the British riders will be hoping to impress in front of their home crowd.

Lindgren tops qualifying ahead of Speedway Grand Prix in Cardiff

Thanks and goodbye!

Hopefully you had as good an evening as we did, in spite of that heartbreak for Woffinden, what a remarkable night. Thanks very much for joining, the title race looks over but there's still plenty of excitement to be had in the last two grand prix of the season.

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26/04/2024 at 12:46

We do hope you'll join us for that, in the meantime check out our report to relive all the action!

Championship standings:

What a sensational night of speedway, that had everything! A fantastic as ever Cardiff crowd saw the good, the bad and the ugly but it ends with Bartosz Zmarzlik further extending his championship lead:

1. Bartosz Zmarzlik - 138 (3rd in Cardiff tonight)
2. Freddie Lindgren - 114 (4th)
3. Martin Vaculik - 105 (1st)
4. Jack Holder - 97 (2nd)
5. Jason Doyle - 87 (11)
6. Dan Bewley - 86 (9)
7. Robert Lambert - 83 (5)
8. Leon Madsen - 75 (15)
9. Max Fricke - 65 (8)
10. Tai Woffinden - 64 (13)
11. Patryk Dudek - 58 (7)
12. Maciej Janowski - 43 (14)
13. Mikkel Michelsen - 32 (12)
14. Kim Nilsson - 36 (6)
15. Anders Thomsen - 36 (N/A)
16. Andzejs Lebedevs - 21 (10)

Final: Zmarzlik, Holder, Vaculik, Lindgren

WHAT. A. FINAL. Martin Vaculik has only one heat but he takes the victory after a sensational start, Zmarzlik just got beaten up by Holder on the opening lap - you don't see that often. Holder took a very well deserved second while Zmarzlik passed Lindgren for third on the final run to the line. Absolutely sensational!!!

Final gates confirmed:

Lindgren went straight to the outside, Zmarzlik took an age to pick gate one. Holder will try to overcome his injury for a first-ever grand prix win, he goes off gate two.

Final: Zmarzlik, Holder, Vaculik, Lindgren

Semi-final 2: Vaculik, Lambert, Zmarzlik, Dudek

How does he do it? Zmarzlik hasn't won a heat all night long but he takes just the fourth gate 3 win of the night, what a shock! He's joined in the final by Vaculik, Lambert caught a poor start and was powerless to stop the championship leader down the back straight.

Semi-final 1: Holder, Nilsson, Fricke, Lindgren

Fantastic start from Holder but he lifted on the back straight and Lindgren fired through for first! Nilsson was third but could never challenge Holder for the final.

Semi-final gates confirmed:

A bit of a surprise there, Holder sticks to the inside and Lindgren goes straight to gate four. Then Fricke takes gate three, despite it's lack of success this evening!

Then Lambert takes gate two first-up, Dudek looked very grateful for the outside and Vaculik likewise for gate one.

Semi-final 1: Holder, Nilsson, Fricke, Lindgren

Semi-final 2: Vaculik, Lambert, Zmarzlik, Dudek

Semi-finals draw upcoming

So what to do for the semi-finals? Holder and Lambert are up first, gate 4 has been the most successful with eight heat winners but only produced one from that last block.

The inside two have both supplied winners each, while just two riders have won from gate 3. An intriguing choise coming up!

Final heat standings

It was so so tight for the Cardiff semi-finals:

1. Jack Holder - 12
2. Robert Lambert - 11
3. Martin Vaculik - 9
4. Freddie Lindgren - 9
5. Patryk Dudek - 8
6. Max Fricke - 8
7. Kim Nilsson - 8
8. Bartosz Zmarzlik - 8

9. Dan Bewley - 7
10. Andzejs Lebedevs - 7
11. Jason Doyle - 7
12. Mikkel Michelsen - 6
13. Tai Woffinden - 6
14. Maciej Janowski - 6
15. Leon Madsen - 5
16. Steve Worrall - 3

WATCH: Woffinden's Cardiff charge ends in injury

Woffinden looked like he might finally take a long-awaited win in Cardiff, but his night ended in heat 16: watch here.

Heat 20: Nilsson, Michelsen, Dudek, Lebedevs

Lebedevs squeaked past Michelsen for the lead there, while Kim Nilsson's point should be enough to see him through.

Heat 19: Fricke, Lambert, Lindgren, Edwards

Lambert does it! We will have a Brit in the semi-finals as he sweeps around Fricke on the penultimate to the delight of the home crowd, while Lindgren moved into second and Bewley is still alive, just. Stand-in Jason Edwards couldn't make an impact.

Heat 19: Fricke, Lambert, Lindgren, Bewley

Bewley touches the tapes at the start, he'll be excluded and his night looks over.

Heat 18: Rowe, Worrall, Janowski, Holder

Holder outbattles Worrall at the first corner to take the win and book his place in the semi-finals. But the standout was Anders Rowe in for Woffinden, he was running second until his bike packed up.

Heat 17: Madsen, Vaculik, Zmarzlik, Doyle

Vaculik moves onto 9 points with that win, Doyle bounced back for a good second-place and challenged the Slovakian late on. Zmarzlik picked up just one point to move on to eight points with no heat win, he could miss the semi-finals for the first time this season.

Heat 16 standings:

1. Holder - 9
=2. Dudek - 8
=2. Lambert - 8
=4. Fricke- 7
=4. Nilsson - 7
=4. Bewley - 7
=4. Lindgren - 7
=4. Zmarzlik - 7
=9. Vaculik - 6
=9. Woffinden - 6
=11. Madsen - 5
=11. Janowski - 5
=11. Doyle- 5
=14. Lebedevs - 4
=14. Michelsen - 4
16. Worrall - 1

Heat 16 re-run: Bewley, Lebedevs, Zmarzlik

The home fans needed something to smile about and Bewley delivers! He was out of shape on the first lap but held onto the lead ahead of Zmarzlik, who made a rare bike change before the heat.

WOFFINDEN OUT

Heartbreaking for Woffinden, his night is over. He told Scott Nicholls:

It was unfortunate, sometimes the tubeless tyres just react that way and spring you up, my hand's broken so that's me done."

Heat 16: Woffinden, Bewley, Lebedevs, Zmarzlik

WOFFINDEN OFF! He was having a fantastic battle with Zmarzlik but his bike bucked at the first bend of lap 3 and Woffinden had a heavy impact onto the deck before slamming into the barrier. He's been excluded too, but that's the least of his worries.

Heat 15 re-run: Holder, Fricke, Doyle, Nilsson

Another win for Holder in the battle of the Australians, but Nilsson is looking good for a semi-final after another two points. Doyle got back up off the dirt to claim third.

Heat 15: Holder, Fricke, Doyle, Nilsson

Doyle's down for the second time in two heats, that was after contact with Fricke but this should be all four riders back.

Heat 14: Worrall, Lindgren, Vaculik, Dudek

Worrall gets a point, but it could've been so much more. He was the quickest starter but seemed at a standstill as Lindgren and Dudek roared past - the latter finding incredible speed to go last to first on the back straight.

Heat 13: Janowski, Lambert, Michelsen, Madsen

Into the final two heats for each rider, Robert Lambert needed a win. And he got it! A superb start for just the second gate 2 win of the night, Madsen and Janowski will struggle to make the sem-finals after finishing second and third.

Heat 12 standings:

1. Fricke - 7
=2. Woffinden - 6
=2. Vaculik - 6
=2. Holder - 6
=5. Nilsson - 5
=5. Dudek - 5
=5. Lambert - 5
=5. Lindgren - 5
=5. Zmarzlik - 5
=10. Bewley - 4
=10. Janowski - 4
=10. Doyle - 4
=10. Michelsen - 4
=14. Madsen - 3
=14. Lebedevs - 3
16. Worrall - 0

Heat 12 re-run: Lindgren, Lebedevs, Janowski

Janowski needed a result there and he got it. Lindgren couldn't replicate that start and looked more likely to lose second to Lebedevs than take the lead despite a late charge on the final straight.

Heat 12: Lindgren, Lebedevs, Doyle, Janowski

Doyle hits the deck uncontacted, he could be excluded here. Lindgren will be just as frustrated, he made a great start and looked set for his second win on the bounce.

Heat 11: Vaculik, Woffinden, Fricke, Michelsen

This grand prix is WIDE OPEN in Cardiff! Fricke got fantastic launch off the first bend firing himself between Vaculik and Woffinden who finished second and third. That sends Fricke into the lead on the night with 7 points.

Heat 10: Lambert, Nilsson, Zmarzlik, Worrall

Lambert provides the second home win of the night after brilliantly holding off an underperforming Zmarzlik! Worrall was mixing it wil Nilsson but couldn't pick up his first points of the night.

Heat 9: Bewley, Holder, Madsen, Dudek

Patryk Dudek take a bow! Holder got the start racing back-to-back but Dudek was unstoppable behind, eventually taking the lead on the third lap. Bewley pressured Holder for second from there but had to settle for third, Madsen's pointless since his heat one win.

Heat 8 standings:

With 40% of the heats completed, Woffinden is the clear leader on five points. Behind him Fricke, Nilsson, Doyle, Vaculik, Michelsen and Holder are all on four points while Dan Bewley's scored three and Robert Lambert two.

Heat 8: Lebedevs, Vaculik, Lambert, Holder

Gate four is clearly the place to be, Holder defies the pain to hit the front and stay there despite Vaculik also getting away strongly. Lambert couldn't really challenge the front two and was forced to settle for another point.

Heat 7: Dudek, Zmazlik, Janowski, Fricke

There was a 75% chance that a Pole would win this, but Fricke had no time for those odds. He made a Bewleyesque start from the outside ahead of Dudek while Zmarzlik was briefly relegated to the back before coming through to claim third.

Heat 6: Michelsen, Doyle, Worrall, Bewley

Dan Bewley has entered the chat. The reigning King of Cardiff hit the first bend at warpspeed from the outside and left the battle Doyle and Michelsen in his wake. The Australian grabbed second after contact at the first bend, Worrall's again scoreless.

Heat 5: Lindgren, Madsen, Nilsson, Woffinden

Woffinden was oh-so-close to a second heat win but couldn't find as much grip around the outside after the track grading meaning Freddie Lindgren bounces back from that exclusion to score three points. Nilsson and Madsen were mere spectators in third and fourth.

Heat 4 re-run: Zmarzlik, Michelsen, Holder

Zmarzlik will be frustrated there, he looked set to win at the first time of asking before Holder hit the dirt but this time it's Michelsen who hits the front and stays there. Instead Zmarzlik had faced a tough battle with Holder for second, eventually coming out on top.

Heat 4: Zmarzlik, Michelsen, Holder, Lindgren

Jack Holder's down after contact with Lindgren - not good after the Australian missed the Riga GP with an injury sustained at the World Cup. And Lindgren's excluded! Not surprising really, Holder looks good to continue.

Heat 3: Doyle, Dudek, Woffinden, Lambert

WOOOOOFFFFFFFFFFIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!! Woffinden grabs the first home win of the night, he was out the back early on after Doyle just got the better of Lambert on the first bend.

But he never gave up, skating around the outside before passing Doyle in the last corner to win - Lambert was third.

Heat 2: Nilsson, Janowski, Bewley, Vaculik

Bewley out the back! Nilsson held his nerve off the inside while Vaculik triumphed in a race-long battle with Janowski for second.

Heat 1 re-run: Madsen, Worrall, Fricke, Lebedevs

Lebedevs was again strong out of th gate but Madsen just holds on to get the better of him. Worrall misses out to Fricke in third after he was initially ahead of the Australian.

Heat 1: Madsen, Worrall, Fricke, Lebedevs

Nightmare start for Worrall, the wildcard goes down at the first corner after Lebedevs made the best start. Should be all four back.

Five minutes to go...

After the signiture Cardiff light how it's time for the rider presentations. The crowd go wild when the Brits are announced, it's real goosebump-inducing stuff. We're in for a great evening of speedway here!

Big night for Worrall

It's a night that dreams are made of for Steve Worrall. He qualified as wildcard for Cardiff as runner-up to Bewley at the British Championships in August, he was a track reserve at this event in 2016 but didn't feature. He appears first-up in heat 1, which starts in 10 minutes!

Steve Worrall (Captain) of Belle Vue Bikeright Aces

Image credit: Getty Images

Get well soon Anders!

Andzejs Lebedevs stands in for Anders Thomsen after the Dane's horror-crash in Riga. Lebedevs completed five rounds of the 2022 Grand Prix season as a substitute and even reached the semi-final in the last race of the season.

Fans already getting amped up

The arena's already echoing with the sound of airhorns with 20 minutes to go until tapes up. Greg Hancock just gave an interesting nugget of info on the Eurosport coverage, the American triumphed three times in Cardiff over his illustrious career:

You're got natural rear-view mirrors here with big TV screens at the end of the straighaways"

WATCH: Bewley delights home fans

No messing around here, watch last year's final where Dan Bewley became the first rider to win the British GP on home shale in 15 years:

Great Britain's Bewley wins Speedway GP final in Cardiff

Hello and Welcome

Good evening and thanks for joining us for this live blog of the Speedway British Grand Prix! It's one of the best events on the calendar and is sure to provide entertainment - could we even see a home winner for the second year running? Stay with us to find out!

It's live on Eurosport and discovery+, tapes go up at 17:00 GMT.

Lindgren tops qualifying in Cardiff

Lindgren tops qualifying ahead of Speedway Grand Prix in Cardiff

Lambert hopes to use 'weird and wonderful' Cardiff atmosphere as springboard

Robert Lambert believes the raucous atmosphere at the Principality Stadium could be a motivating factor as he chases a first Speedway Grand Prix win.

The latest round of action hits Cardiff with Lambert looking to impress in his home race and climb back up the standings in this year’s competition.

Thousands are expected to flock to the Welsh capital for the event with festivities including a huge fan zone in the city centre ahead of the main event.

Speaking exclusively to Eurosport, Lambert explained why the Cardiff round is so highly-anticipated.

“I think it’s just one of the meetings on the calendar which we're always waiting for and looking forward to coming up in the season,” he said. “It's such a big event and also on home soil so I think there’s a special feeling in my belly, ready to go out on the track and perform in front of the home fans.

Read the full interview here

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