FIM SPEEDWAY: KURTZ TAKES WORLD TITLE LEAD WITH MANCHESTER WIN
Aussie racer Brady Kurtz was elated to end his search for a Manchester win as he snatched the Speedway GP World Championship lead from Poland’s Bartosz Zmarzlik at the National Speedway Stadium Saturday night, June 6.
Kurtz raced to victory in ATPI FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain – Manchester round four, winning the final ahead of Danish champion Michael Jepsen Jensen reigning world champion Zmarzlik in third.
In a final for the ages, Kurtz surged from last to first, exploiting a gap as Zmarzlik and MJJ warred over the lead to storm through for victory with a precision pass on the third lap.
Kurtz’s triumph completed an historic weekend for Australian speedway, which saw Max Fricke lead an Aussie one-two-three with Kurtz in second place and Jack Holder third in ATPI FIM British Speedway GP R3 on Friday.
After scoring 39 points from a possible 44 over two nights in Manchester, Kurtz now leads the Speedway GP World Championship on 65 points – three clear of Zmarzlik, who is on 62 in second. Aussie star Jack Holder is third on 55 after finishing fourth in Saturday’s final.
Having finished third and second in the two Manchester rounds in 2025, Belle Vue Aces skipper Kurtz was elated to top the podium on his British home track at the fourth attempt.
He said: “I have been in all the finals in Manchester now and hadn’t managed to get the win before. I am really happy to get up there. I learned a lot from Friday’s round. I didn’t feel I was at my best and I didn’t have a lot of speed. I wasn’t making good starts. But we were much, much better on Saturday. I am super happy with that.”
Kurtz admits Saturday’s white-knuckle final was a blur. He said: “I don’t know what happened. I haven’t seen the replay. I made an awful start. I was actually quite confident with gate four that if I could get to the outside, I knew I had a lot of speed. It took me a few laps to get up there, but I found my way through.
“Michael and Bartek were both going left and right, and I didn’t really know where to go. I saw some space and suddenly I was in front. I am really super happy with it.”
Kurtz was given a huge ovation by the fans in Manchester, where he has raced his British home meetings since 2021. With Belle Vue’s British favourite Dan Bewley sidelined due to injury, Kurtz was elated to enjoy the adulation of the Aces fans at trackside.
He said:“I can probably thank Dan for that – he’s definitely the fan favourite here. I wish him all the best. It’s mega to have so much support somewhere that’s not your home country, and I am really grateful for that. I want to say thanks to all the fans here.”
Kurtz celebrates in front of his home crowd in Manchester. PHOTO: Taylor Lanning
Next up for Kurtz is the DEWALT FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Wroclaw on his Polish PGE Ekstraliga home track on June 20. Kurtz can’t wait to return to the Olympic Stadium for more SGP action, having topped the podium there in 2025.
He said: “I won’t be thinking about that round just yet, but I am looking forward to Wroclaw. We have a home match there this week. Hopefully I can have a good one there and be ready for it.
“There are a lot of good tracks coming up in the next few rounds. I am just trying to stay consistent, keep getting into those finals and keep getting the points on the board. There is still a long way home from here.”
Kurtz (left) salutes second-placed Jepsen Jensen. PHOTO: Taylor Lanning
Second-placed Jepsen Jensen is racing his first full-time Speedway GP season since 2015 and admits every round has been a learning experience, as he moved up to fourth place in the World Championship on 45 points.
He said: “To be fair, it’s a long time since I have been in the GPs. It took a little bit of getting used to, being back here, even though I rode in Vojens as a wild card last year. Just being in the right place and feeling comfortable isn’t easy, but I finally felt better on Saturday.
“The goal is always to be in that final heat. I messed up the first GP in Landshut, but I learned a lot from that. I also learned a lot from the last round in Prague. Manchester gave me a lot as well. It was a good practice run on Friday night. I am happy – I finished sixth that night. Being in the final on Saturday was the main goal. Racing is what we are here for. I haven’t seen the final back yet, but it must have been awesome to watch.”
Kurtz (right) claimed the Speedway GP lead from Bartosz Zmarzlik. PHOTO: Taylor Lanning
Third-placed Zmarzlik was pleased to reach his fourth straight final this season, just 24 hours after crashing out of the final of round three at the National Speedway Stadium on Friday.
He said: “It was really tough for me. I am happy because I was in the final again, which is the minimum plan.
“Congrats to the boys – they did better work than me in the final. I think we made it a good show for the people in the final – it was possible for everyone to win this race.
“Brady was the smartest in the final. I was happy because after Friday, I felt good, but not 100 percent after my crash. Making the podium is good.”
