FIM SPEEDWAY: MADSEN’S SPEEDWAY GP TITLE DREAM

Danish racer Leon Madsen is determined to ensure his absence from the main FIM Speedway Grand Prix line-up is a short one as he bids to chase his Speedway GP world-title dream.

The two-time Speedway GP silver medallist missed out on a full spot in this season’s series and was forced to make do with the first substitute role.

Madsen was called up to replace the injured Jason Doyle in the FIM Speedway GP of Czech Republic – Prague last Saturday and took his chance with both hands, storming to third place behind winner Bartosz Zmarzlik and runner-up Fredrik Lindgren.

The Zielona Gora star was delighted to remind the world of his Speedway GP credentials and hopes it won’t be long before he’s a permanent member of the championship again.

He said: “I love speedway, and I still have a dream to one day be world champion. I know I have it in me and I think I proved it to everyone on Saturday. It can’t be too long that I am outside of the GP because my age is also ticking. I want to get back in again fast, and hopefully for next year.

“My biggest goal for this year is to win the European Championship. It’s not going to be easy. It’s a hard competition because it’s a GP qualifier, and everybody wants to win it. But I can do it and that’s what I want to do.

“It was nice to be on the podium on Saturday. Everything went well. I think I won all of my starts apart from the final. Overall, I am very happy. It’s great to be back and this one was for my two girls.” 

Madsen was involved in an epic duel with Aussie ace Brady Kurtz in last-chance qualifier one (LCQ1), thundering under the pre-meeting championship leader going into the final turn, before Kurtz lost a chain, sending him crashing out. The four-time Speedway GP winner was pleased to chase down Kurtz and fight his way into the final.

“That was a great show, wasn’t it!” he smiled. “It was intense racing. I just knew I had to get in front. I wanted to make it to the final so badly. We made a few changes on the bike for that race, and they seemed to work out fine. I caught him and it was great fun. I am very happy.”

Asked if there was contact between the pair, Madsen admitted: “Maybe at beginning going into the corner there would have been some small contact. I can’t say for sure. But for sure the crash wasn’t my fault. Something happened to his bike, I think. 

“I would have won it anyway. I think it was a fair race from my side. There was a gap, and I went for it. I didn’t take him to the fence or anything like that.

“Nobody expected that I would catch him. I was third in that race for a couple of laps. I just gave it my all and I am so happy I made it through to the final and got on the podium, so that I could prove everyone wrong – all the doubters who have been speaking badly about me.

“I will just try to take forward the momentum that we have now. It has been a tough start to the season. I have been struggling with my equipment. We were testing a few things out and it didn’t work out well, so we went back to what we used last year, changed a little on that and it seems to be working very well.”