The 2023 FIM Speedway calendar has been confirmed as venues across eight different countries host FIM Speedway World Championships action and the sport celebrates its 100th season.
A century on from the first speedway event in 1923, the sport’s current generation of stars will mark a huge anniversary season with another epic year of 500cc, no-brakes, wheel-to-wheel racing on the sport’s most famous stages.
Nine of the 2022 venues take their place on the Speedway GP calendar, while Wroclaw’s legendary Olympic Stadium makes history once again, when it stages the much-anticipated return of the FIM Speedway World Cup from July 25-29, 2023.
It’s the first time the competition has been taken place since 2017 and the first time all four events have taken place in one city as part of new global promoter Discovery Sports Events’ vision to restore the popular tournament and create the ultimate festival of team racing – staged every three seasons.
Subject to final agreement with the local organiser, Latvian capital Riga is set to host the nation’s first SGP event since 2017 on Saturday, August 12.
As part of a huge double-header of action at the city’s motorsport haven Bikernieki, Latvia’s talented under-21 team bids for FIM Speedway of Nations – SON2 gold on Friday, August 11, when the sport’s top seven under-21 sides race for the FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship.
The SGP season opens with the FIM Speedway GP of Croatia – Donji Kraljevec once again on April 29 – 12 months after Speedway Stadion Milenium made an unforgettable return to the calendar following a 10-year absence with the first event of the DSE era.
Warsaw’s iconic PGE Narodowy hosts the FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Warsaw on May 13, where over 50,000 passionate fans saw the sport’s top riders go wheel to wheel earlier this year.
Prague’s Marketa Stadium is back with another double-header of action in 2023, as it hosts its record-breaking 29th FIM Speedway GP of Czech Republic – Prague on Saturday, June 3.
Fans can enjoy two nights of racing in the picturesque Czech capital with the FIM SGP2 of Czech Republic also taking place on Friday, June 2 as the 2023 FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship gets underway.
Just seven days after the Prague events, the FIM Speedway GP of Germany – Teterow brings thousands of fans to the historic Bergring Arena on June 10.
The action then switches to the Edward Jancarz Stadium for the FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Gorzow on Saturday, June 24, with fans in Gorzow also set to enjoy a double-header of racing as the venue hosts the FIM SGP2 of Poland on Friday, June 23.
Sweden’s biggest weekend of racing is next as the FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla returns to the Skrotfrag Arena on Saturday, July 15.
But that’s not all, as the sport’s brightest under-16 stars also take to the Swedish forest track on Friday, July 14 for the FIM SGP3 Final – the FIM Speedway Youth World Championship contested on 250cc machines, which delivered one of the meetings of the season in Wroclaw last summer.
The focus then switches to team racing as the FIM Speedway World Cup roars back on to the calendar in Wroclaw from July 25-29, when hosts Poland defend the Ove Fundin Trophy, which they won in Leszno in 2017.
The two Semi-Finals take place on Tuesday, July 25 and Wednesday, July 26, with the winners joining Poland in the FIM SWC Final on Saturday, July 29. The second and third-placed nations in each semi contest the FIM SWC Race Off on Friday, July 28 with the winners completing the Final four.
The first-ever FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga is due to take place on Saturday, August 12 – just 24 hours after the SON2 event at Bikernieki on Friday, August 11. The event comes six years after Daugavpils’ Lokomotiv Stadium last hosted a Latvian round in 2017.
Britain’s best arena motorsport event is back on Saturday, September 2, as the FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain – Cardiff comes to the iconic Principality Stadium, which hosted its 20th Speedway GP event in 2022.
Racing then switches to the legendary Vojens Speedway Center for the FIM Speedway GP of Denmark – Vojens on Saturday, September 16.
And fans will also see the 2023 FIM Speedway Under-21 world champion crowned as the title-deciding FIM SGP2 of Denmark wraps up the race for junior speedway’s biggest prize on Friday, September 15.
The season ends in style with the always-exciting FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Torun on September 30, where the 2023 Speedway GP world champion will lift the trophy at a packed Marian Rose Motoarena.
François Ribeiro, head of Discovery Sports Events, looks forward to building on a strong first season for the group as FIM Speedway global promoter, while continuing efforts to expand the calendar beyond Europe.
He said: “We are delighted to welcome back all 10 of our FIM Speedway venues for speedway’s centenary season in 2023 – an occasion we will celebrate in style both on and off the track.
“We extend a special welcome to our new partners in Riga, as they look set to join the Speedway GP series, subject to final agreement.
“I would like to thank all of the local organisers we worked with in 2022 as they teamed up with us to elevate the FIM Speedway experience on and off the track for riders, fans and television viewers. We look forward to joining forces with all of our stakeholders for another exciting season in 2023.
“Unfortunately, we have been unable to reach an agreement to bring the Speedway GP series back to Australia for 2023. But I can assure everyone that work continues behind the scenes to take the world’s best riders back to one of speedway’s biggest nations.
“Bringing the Speedway GP series to Australia remains a key objective and, when it happens, we are determined to deliver an unforgettable event that is well worth the wait for our passionate fans Down Under and one that can be sustained for many years to come.”
2023 FIM SPEEDWAY GRAND PRIX CALENDAR
April 29 – FIM Speedway GP of Croatia – Donji Kraljevec
May 13 – FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Warsaw
June 3 - FIM Speedway GP of Czech Republic – Prague
June 10 - FIM Speedway GP of Germany – Teterow
June 24 - FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Gorzow
July 15 - FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla
August 12 - FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga*
September 2 - FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain – Cardiff
September 16 - FIM Speedway GP of Denmark – Vojens
September 30 - FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Torun
2023 FIM SPEEDWAY WORLD CUP CALENDAR (all events to be staged at Wroclaw’s Olympic Stadium in Poland)
Tuesday, July 25 – FIM Speedway World Cup Semi-Final 1
Wednesday, July 26 – FIM Speedway World Cup Semi-Final 2
Friday, July 28 – FIM Speedway World Cup Race Off
Saturday, July 29 – FIM Speedway World Cup Final
2023 FIM SPEEDWAY UNDER-21 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CALENDAR (SGP2)
Friday, June 2 – FIM SGP2 of Czech Republic – Prague
Friday, June 23 – FIM SGP2 of Poland – Gorzow
Friday, September 15 – FIM SGP2 of Denmark – Vojens
2023 FIM TEAM SPEEDWAY UNDER-21 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (SON2)
Friday, August 11 – FIM Speedway of Nations - SON2 – Riga, Latvia*
2023 FIM SPEEDWAY YOUTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (SGP3)
Friday, July 14 – FIM SGP3 Final – Malilla
* Events subject to final promoter agreement
FIM & Discovery Sports Event