The line-up for the 2024 FIM SGP2 series has been confirmed as Danish shooting stars Mikkel Andersen and Villads Nagel join Poland’s Bartosz Banbor in receiving permanent wild cards.
The three-round 2024 FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship series gets underway with the 3P Logistics FIM SGP2 of Sweden – Malilla this Friday, before the action moves to Latvian capital Riga on Friday, September 6 and concludes at Polish venue Torun on Friday, September 27 – the night before the Speedway GP world champion is crowned at the Marian Rose Motoarena.
Riders from seven different countries contest this season’s SGP2 series, with Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Great Britain, Latvia, Ukraine and Norway all represented in the 15-rider line-up.
With 2022 and 2023 SGP2 champion Mateusz Cierniak now too old to compete in the series, a new champion is guaranteed in 2024.
Twelve riders secured their places in the championship last Saturday, with the top four in each of the three qualifiers at German track Ludwigslust, French club Macon and former FIM Italian Speedway GP venue Terenzano all guaranteed spots in the series.
PERMANENT PICKS
The field has been completed by three permanent wild cards selected by the SGP2 Commission, including Mikkel Andersen – son of 1997 FIM British Speedway GP winner Brian. He makes the step up into SGP2 after topping the podium in the 2022 SGP3 Final – the FIM Speedway Youth World Championship for 250cc under-16 riders.
Andersen is joined by Villads Nagel, who finished second at that 2022 SGP3 event in Wroclaw, Poland. Initially, both riders narrowly missed out on guaranteed places in SGP2, with Andersen losing out in a run-off at his qualifier in Macon, France, while Nagel finished fifth in Terenzano following a run-off.
But both have been promoted into the full series line-up, with Bartosz Banbor joining them after he took fifth place at his qualifier in Ludwigslust, where he was just a point short of the final qualification berth.
SWEDISH STARS
The trio are joined by Swedish duo Casper Henriksson and Philip Hellstrom-Bangs. They will represent the host nation in Malilla on Friday, with Hellstrom-Bangs also serving as second track reserve in the 3P Logistics FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla on Saturday.
Additionally, there will be a Swedish wild card for Friday’s SGP2 event - Anton Jansson wears the famous No.16 race jacket, with Sammy van Dyck (No.17) and 2023 SGP3 champion Rasmus Karlsson (No.18) serving as track reserves at the Skrotfrag Arena.
SECURING THEIR SPOTS
The full SGP2 line-up also features Ukrainian star Nazar Parnitskyi – last year’s first series substitute rider – who won the Ludwigslust qualifier with a fantastic 15-point maximum to gain a full spot in the 2024 SGP2 series.
Denmark will have five SGP2 title contenders this year as Andersen and Nagel are joined by Bastian Pedersen – nephew of triple Speedway GP world champion Nicki Pedersen. Jesper Knudsen – younger brother of 2022 SGP2 rider Jonas Knudsen – has also qualified.
The Danes will also be represented by William Drejer, who famously finished third in the 2023 FIM SGP2 of Denmark – Vojens, despite starting the night as a track reserve.
Poland will be represented by 2022 and 2023 SON2 gold medallist Wiktor Przyjemski, who joins Banbor, Jakub Krawczyk and Sebastian Szostak in bidding to follow Cierniak into the elite club of Polish World Under-21 champions.
Former British Under-21 champion Leon Flint, who races for British clubs Birmingham and Glasgow, also competes in the full series, with Norwegian shooting star Mathias Pollestad, who starred in the 2023 SGP2 championship, back in the race for the rostrum this year.
Ukrainian racer Nazar Parnitskyi cruised into the 2024 SGP2 line-up with a 15-point maximum. PHOTO: Taylor Lanning
SUPER SUBS
The SGP2 series substitute riders have been confirmed, with American young gun Slater Lightcap top of the list. He will be the first rider called into action if one of the 15 permanent members of the championship are forced out of a round due to injury, illness or other reasons.
Australia’s Tate Zischke is the second substitute, with British rider Dan Thompson taking the third reserve spot. Austria’s Sebastian Kossler is fourth substitute and Slovenia’s Anze Grmek rounds off the list at No.5.
Tickets for Friday’s SGP2 event and Saturday’s Speedway GP in Malilla are on sale now, with free entry for SGP4 – the FIM Speedway Youth World Cup for 11-13-year-olds on Saturday at 12:00 CET. Secure your spot at the Skrotfrag Arena and book online HERE now.