FIM SPEEDWAY: ZMARZLIK ENDS YEAR-LONG QUEST FOR #30 AS WROCLAW DEFIES STORMS TO DELIVER SPEEDWAY GP #300

Polish icon Bartosz Zmarzlik was elated to end his year-long wait for a record-extending 30th FIM Speedway Grand Prix victory in a dramatic DEWALT FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Wroclaw on Saturday evening, June 20.
Zmarzlik was visibly emotional after topping the podium ahead of British Champion Robert Lambert in second and Danish star Michael Jepsen Jensen in third place as the Lublin and Lejonen rider achieved his first SGP win since June 14, 2025, when he triumphed on night two of a Manchester double-header.
The fact that Zmarzlik, who recaptured the World Championship lead from fourth-placed Aussie ace Brady Kurtz, had waited over a year for a Speedway GP win is some stat for a rider who won a record-equalling sixth world title last September.
But his victory in the 300th Speedway GP event told only a fraction of the story on one of the most dramatic SGP nights since the series was launched at Wroclaw’s Olympic Stadium on May 20, 1995.
Racing was delayed for around two and a half hours after severe rain and thunderstorms left the circuit and pits flooded, with the local fire brigade called to pump water from the pits, while track staff and officials worked miracles to get the bikes on track.

The result was an epic night of action for a passionate crowd of circa 13,000 fans at the sold-out Olympic Stadium as Zmarzlik picked up one of his most memorable Speedway GP wins just before midnight and celebrated on the podium with sons Antoni and Franciszek.
He said: “It was so tough – such a long day. It was a dramatic day. It felt like everything was possible and I am very happy because I have had a little bit too much of a wait for my 30th win in the GPs, so that was a special moment for me and my team.
“We made it, and we did a good job. Maybe I was not the fastest, but in the final, I was feeling it. When I win in the GPs, I always feel something different. Before this one, there was a little bit of stress. I didn’t know what I was feeling – something like this can be stress before something bad or maybe something nice.
“This time, I felt something nice, and I am really happy. I have achieved my next dream. I was on the top step of the podium with my sons and that was the best moment for my family. All the time, I am thinking about my sons. I want to do a good job whenever they are watching me.”

Zmarzlik is joined on the podium by sons Franciszek (left) and Antoni (right), with Lambert in second (left) and Jepsen Jensen third (right). PHOTO: Marcin Karczewski

Zmarzlik now holds a three-point lead over Kurtz in the Speedway GP standings at the halfway stage. He could be five rounds away from breaking new ground as the sport’s first-ever seven-time Speedway GP world champion.
But Zmarzlik remains calm amid the excitement. He said: “I am not thinking too much about this because we are only halfway through the season. Everything is possible.
“I always take fun from the racing because for me, this is most important. I love the bike; I love speed, and I love racing with the boys.”
Runner-up Lambert achieved his first Speedway GP podium since won the Deluxe Homeart FIM Speedway GP of Denmark – Vojens on September 14, 2024, as he held his nerve to go third in the standings. He said: “It is so nice to stand on the podium again. It’s such a nice feeling after such a long day and a lot of crazy stuff going on.
“I finished with a great result. I am super happy with how I performed and the way we approached everything. The mechanics did a great job. I am super thankful to them and my team around me. I am of the opinion that even if it’s raining, I stay in the mindset that we have to race. It’s only the halfway point. I am not going to stop fighting. I push every day to become a better rider and enjoy my racing. We’ll keep going forwards.”

Lambert raced up to third spot in the Speedway GP standings. PHOTO: Taylor Lanning

Third-placed Jepsen Jensen raced to three third places in his opening heats, before salvaging a spot in the last-chance qualifiers with two straight race wins and taking victory in LCQ2 to set up his fourth final in six SGP appearances.
But he remains determined to end his near-14-year wait for a Speedway GP victory since he won the FIM Nordic Speedway GP of Vojens as a wild card on September 22, 2012 – the stellar season when he won the FIM Speedway World Cup and FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship.
He said: “I think Bartek said it has been a long time since his last win, but I think I can beat that! I will do whatever I can to get some good results. The main goal, of course, is the finals.
“I had a positive feeling. To be honest, I am a bit disappointed. I really want this win, and I feel it should have come in Wroclaw. But I will keep pushing and we will take it from there. It’s positive to be disappointed in this case.
“I don’t think it looked so good after the first three races. But I managed to flip it around, which is very positive.”

Kurtz (right) leads the Monster Energy Triple Crown. PHOTO: Marcin Karczewski

Despite losing top spot in the Speedway GP World Championship to Zmarzlik, fourth-place Kurtz topped the heat score chart on 12 race points to take the lead in the battle for the Monster Energy Triple Crown.
Riders’ race points over the heats at round seven in Lodz on August 1 and round 10 in Torun on September 26 will be added to their Wroclaw heat scores, with the winner claiming the Monster Energy Triple Crown trophy.
Next up is the FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla on Saturday, July 11 on a weekend that also features the opening round of SGP2 – the FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship – on Friday, July 10. The FIM SGP4 World Championship for 11-13-year-olds will also be staged on July 11.