Swedish star Fredrik Lindgren admits he relished being the hunter rather than the hunted as he pulled off a sensational pass on Polish hero Bartosz Zmarzlik to win a dramatic ISS FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Gorzow final on Saturday.
The Swede collected his second victory at the iconic Edward Jancarz Stadium, following up his win in 2020 round four, beating Zmarzlik to top spot on the podium, with Danish duo Mikkel Michelsen and Leon Madsen placed third and fourth respectively.
Lindgren and Zmarzlik finished top of the heat score chart on 12 race points apiece and, after both taking second spot in their semi-finals, former Stal Gorzow rider Zmarzlik made a sublime start to hit the front in the final.
But Fast Freddie found the speed when it mattered most, getting the better of the four-time Speedway GP world champion with a breathtaking swoop going into the final lap on the track where Zmarzlik transformed from raw rookie into living speedway legend.
Zmarzlik’s second place still gives him a 27-point advantage at the top of the Speedway GP World Championship with five rounds to race, starting with the FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain – Cardiff on August 17.
But victory belonged to Lindgren in front of a 15,000-plus crowd in a city that lives and breathes speedway. The Swedish champion performed a rare feat in passing Zmarzlik in an FIM Gorzow Speedway GP final. But he admits it’s sometimes easier to do the chasing than defend a lead.
Fredrik Lindgren: “When it came to the final, I was just sending it really. I found myself on the dirt line and sometimes it’s easier to be in second position than first because you can go in deep, and you don’t have to worry about what’s happening behind you. I was just sending it and trying to race as hard and fast as I could.”
Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe