Speedway Grand Prix 2024: Robert Lambert - World champion Bartosz Zmarzlik is 'one of a kind' but 'not unbeatable'
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Published 26/04/2024 at 06:29 GMT
British rider Robert Lambert will be hoping to upset the odds this season as he targets glory at the 2024 Speedway Grand Prix. The defending champion Bartosz Zmarzlik once again enters as the favourite, but Lambert is confident that he can take on the Polish star this coming season. Watch the 2024 Speedway GP season live on Eurosport and discovery+.
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Robert Lambert has said Bartosz Zmarzlik is "not unbeatable" and is confident he can challenge the defending Speedway Grand Prix world champion when the 2024 campaign begins in Croatia this weekend.
Polish star Zmarzlik has won the last two titles in a row and four in the last five years ahead of his latest defence.
Speaking to Eurosport ahead of the opening meeting in Donji Kraljevec, Lambert hailed his rival as "one of a kind" and suggested working hard off the track as well as on it would be needed to usurp Zmarlik from his throne.
"It'd be to be faster than him. As simple as that," Lambert joked about how to beat the Pole. "But no, I think he's one of a kind in this generation of speedway.
"So you need to do everything you can behind the scenes, that I know, that I'm doing a little bit extra than he is, and have that confidence in myself.
"He's not unbeatable. I've beat him many times. So this is obviously possible. It's just doing it on a regular occasion."
Lambert, still chasing a first SGP win, came closest in last season's opening race but was beaten into second place by Zmarzlik.
The two will do battle again at the same venue to kick off this year's campaign in a meeting which can be seen live on discovery+.
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'Zmarzlik responds!' - Championship leader battles with Lambert in Heat 8
Aside from Lambert, several other riders will be looking to challenge Zmarzlik, including a number of fresh faces to the permanent rider line-up.
Andzejs Lebedevs (Latvia), Kai Huckenbeck (Germany), Dominik Kubera, Szymon Wozniak (both Poland), Jan Kvech (Czech Republic) all make their debuts as permanent riders in a big shake-up to the 2024 roster.
Lambert welcomes the new additions and believes they will make an impact on this year's SGP campaign.
"I think it's great there's some new blood coming in," he said. "Obviously, we've got the boys who finished in the top four last year who obviously fight and fight strong and then we've got some new guys coming in. So I think that's going to be hard for them.
"But I think that adds a little bit of a balance to the series because it was a very close, tight race last year. So I think that evens things out a little bit.
"You can't underestimate any of the new guys who are coming in because they're there for a reason. And they're very good riders and can perform well on the day.
"I think in some areas it is making the lineup stronger, and it can make it also a little bit varied in the races, which is great entertainment for everybody."
Another rider hoping to be in the mix is Dan Bewley, Lambert's compatriot who he races alongside for Great Britain in events such as the Speedway of Nations and the Speedway World Cup.
Lambert admitted that although the two have a great relationship as friends, they are still fiercely competitive on the tracks and will always try to outdo one another in the pursuit of glory.
"We're good mates obviously," he said. "We come together every year and need to be in sync with each other and race for our country and we've done that in the past very well. And also raced in a team with him in Sweden so we know each other very good and we've got a bit of banter going on.
"But there's always this unspoken rivalry which obviously you feel and you want to beat each other and I'm sure he feels exactly the same.
"The Grand Prix is an individual series so you can't be worrying about your teammate then. You're just looking for yourself and looking for that win. I think we're on a good level and good mates the same as the rest of the Team GB boys.
"[But] with every rider, there's this unspoken, you know, 'animosity' to each other that you want to kind of do one-up and do one better than them."
Lambert also revealed the tracks he is looking forward to racing at the most this season, including performing in front of his own fans later in the summer.
"Definitely Warsaw and Cardiff," he said of his favourite venues on the calendar. "Two great stadiums where the atmosphere is electric and definitely ones where you feel that energy a little bit extra and gives you that buzz. So I'm looking forward to them the most.
"Wroclaw is another great track where I've had success as well. So yeah, I'm looking forward to a few of them, but just looking forward for this series to get underway.
"I'm super excited, I have had a few meetings already and in Poland, and I'm just really happy and in loving life riding on the bike."
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The 2024 Speedway season will be available live and ad-free on discovery+.
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