Lindgren triumphs in Poland

Date: Friday 19 May 2023

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NGK-sponsored Speedway star Freddie Lindgren has stormed to victory at the Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Warsaw.

The Swede followed his third place at the Croatian SGP to take top spot ahead of Australia’s Jack Holder in second and three-time and current World champion Bartosz Zmarzlik to go into second place in the 2023 World championship.

He won his first Speedway GP since the 2020 FIM Gorzow Speedway GP after triumphing in a restarted final after Aussie star Jason Doyle was disqualified after crashing as he duelled with Zmarzlik in the first staging of the race.

The victory in front of almost 45,000 fans follows his battle with the effects of long COVID, suffered since he was first infected with the virus in March 2020 and again the following winter.

After enduring breathing difficulties and other symptoms which impacted on his training, Lindgren was elated to celebrate his sixth Speedway GP win.

He said:

“I am just grateful to be healthy again. I don’t think many people understand how hard I have had it for the last three years – only my nearest family and mechanics.

“The win feels great. I am very happy. It’s very emotional to win a GP; I haven’t done it for a long time. This is my sixth GP win tonight. I’ve had a fair few attempts, so it doesn’t come easy.

“My wife also came here with my daughter and our friends and family. I haven’t seen my daughter, Millie-Li, too much since February, apart from a couple of days now and then, so it was great to see her this weekend to have her and her Mummy here as well.”

Fellow NGK-sponsored Britons three-time World champion Tai Woffinden and current British champion and 2022 British Grand Prix winner Dan Bewley both made the semi-final stage scoring nine and ten points respectively with Robert Lambert enduring a disappointing night, scoring five points.

John Money, who handles Speedway sponsorship on behalf of NGK-brand owner Niterra UK Ltd, said:

“It was another great performance by Freddie who has been in fine form this season. It was especially impressive considering his long-term battle with long COVID.”

Lindgren also topped the podium in the 2017 Warsaw event and has now reached the rostrum on an incredible five straight visits to PGE Narodowy.

He is now level on 36 points with Zmarzlik at the top of the Speedway GP standings, with the Pole placed higher only by virtue of his superior FIM ranking. The pair continue their battle at the Prague FIM Speedway GP of Czech Republic on June 3.

Lambert is in fifth place in the championship on 23 points, one place ahead of Woffinden who has 21 points with Bewley in eighth position on 20 points.

For more details about Niterra UK Ltd and its products and services, please visit www.ngkntk.com/uk 

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