Russian racer Emil Sayfutdinov is determined to take the direct route to Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations gold as he targets a world-title hat-trick in Lublin this weekend.
The 30-year-old joins forces with Artem Laguta and Evgenii Saidullin as the Russian team bids to win its third straight Monster Energy SON title when they take on hosts Poland, Australia, Denmark, Sweden, Great Britain and the Czech Republic at the two-day Final on Friday and Saturday night.
Sayfutdinov captained his country to their first-ever senior speedway world title at the inaugural Monster Energy SON Final in Wroclaw in 2018, before retaining the trophy on home shale in Togliatti last summer.
The Russians have always been forced to reach the Grand Final the hard way by winning the final qualifier, featuring the second and third-placed sides after 42 heats. The top-scoring nation earns automatic qualification, avoiding this cutthroat battle.
After watching GB top the heat score chart in 2018 and Poland bag the most points over two days in 2019, Sayfutdinov is determined to take the short route into Saturday’s Grand Final.
He said: “We go again and we will try to fight for a third gold medal. Everything is possible and we will see. We go there with the opportunity to win.
“First of all, we need to concentrate on doing a good job on the first day. We need to have good points in every heat. It’s important for us to get to the Grand Final straight away on Saturday night.
“This meeting is a world championship and everyone wants to be world champion. I think it will be a hard meeting, whether we’re racing the Czech team or the British team; we will have to fight for good points. We need to concentrate, score our points and get to the Grand Final.”
Sayfutdinov finished eighth in this year’s FIM Speedway Grand Prix series, contested over five weeks from August 28 to October 3.
He was frustrated he couldn’t bring his early-season form into the World Championship, after topping this year’s PGE Ekstraliga average charts.
But he’s keen to get back to his best for the Monster Energy SON Final showdown, which also features the likes of world champion Bartosz Zmarzlik, Jason Doyle, Max Fricke, Leon Madsen, Anders Thomsen, Fredrik Lindgren, Oliver Berntzon and Robert Lambert.
Sayfutdinov said: “To be honest, I’ve had a hard season. Early on it was okay, but later on there were a lot of problems with the engines not working like before. It’s not exactly a problem with the engine, but sometimes the track and the weather changes and my setups didn’t work in the GP and some league meetings.
“We are still finding the key to having good speed and I hope that in Lublin it will be okay and I will enjoy it there.
“I want to say thank you very much to the fans for all their support this year. Keep your fingers crossed for Russia in the Speedway of Nations.
“We will try to win it again and hopefully it will help to grow the sport in Russia. We will see.”
Ahead of Saturday’s action, fans can catch episode five of Talking Dirt – Fuelled by Monster Energy from 17:00 UK / 18:00 CET on Speedway GP Facebook and YouTube, as Nigel Pearson, Kelvin Tatum and Kiri Bloore look ahead to the night’s action with guests including former world champions Greg Hancock and Tai Woffinden.
2020 MONSTER ENERGY FIM SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS FINAL STARTING LINE-UPS:
2021 fixture information to follow when available...
LATEST RESULTS...
THURSDAY OCTOBER 22:
PETER CRAVEN MEMORIAL – at Belle Vue
1. Jason Doyle
2. Dan Bewley
3. Brady Kurtz
4. Richard Lawson
5. Rory Schlein
6. Sam Masters
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 21:
BRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL, Berwick 1 Dan Bewley (Belle Vue) 15 2 Leon Flint (Berwick/Armadale) 14 3 Anders Rowe (Swindon/Somerset) 13
Abandoned - Curfew - Result declared after heat 20
SATURDAY OCTOBER 17:
FIM MONSTER ENERGY SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS - FINAL, Lublin, Poland 1 RUSSIA 23 (Emil Sayfutdinov 15, Artem Laguta 8) 2 POLAND 23 (Barosz Zmarzlik 15, Szymon Wozniak 8) 3 DENMARK 19 (Leon Madsen 10, Marcus Birkemose 5, Anders Thomsen 4) 4 SWEDEN 19 (Fredrik Lindgren 14, Oilver Berntzon 5) 5 AUSTRALIA 17 (Max Fricke 12, Jason Doyle 5, Jaimon Lidsey 0) 6 GREAT BRITAIN 12 (Robert Lambert 6, Dan Bewley 6, Drew Kemp 0) 7 CZECH REPUBLIC 11 (Vacliv Milik 11, Eduard Krcmar 0, Petr Chlupac 0) Abandoned after 14 Heats - Result stands (Russia crowned 2020 FIM Speedway of Nations Champions)
FRIDAY OCTOBER 16:
FIM MONSTER ENERGY SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS - FINAL, 1st leg, Lublin, Poland OFF - Track Waterlogged The Final will now be a one-legged event (Saturday October 17)
SATURDAY OCTOBER 10:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 5, Belle Vue 500cc (a) 1 Dan Thompson 2 Harry McGurk 3 Jake Mulford 4 Elliot Kelly Dan Thompson is 500cc Champion
500cc (b - support class) 1 Danny Smith 2 Alex Goldsbrough 3 Sam Peters 4 Katie Gordon
250cc 1 Luke Harrison 2 Max James 3 Cameron Taylor 4 Ashton Vale Luke Harrison is 250cc Champion
125cc (a) 1 Sonny Springer 2 Ace Pijper 3 William Cairns 4 Ben Trigger Sonny Springer is 125cc Champion
125cc (b - support class) 1 Stene Pijper 2 Oliver Bovingdon 3 Owen Booth 4 Caydin Martin
SATURDAY OCTOBER 3:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 8 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Torun 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 20 2 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 18 3 Artem Laguta (Rus) 16 4 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 14
FINAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 8 of 8) 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 133 2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 117 - after run-off 3 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 117 4 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 107 Bartosz Zmarzlik crowned 2020 World Champion
FRIDAY OCTOBER 2:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 7 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Torun 1 Max Fricke (Aus) 20 2 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 18 3 Tai Woffinden (GB) 16 4 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 7 of 8) 1 Bartosz Zmarslik (Pol) 113 2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 105 3 Fredrik Lindgren 103 4 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 89
CALEDONIAN RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP
1. William Lawson
2. Kyle Bickley
3. Leon Flint
4. Elliot Kelly
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 29:
NATIONAL LEAGUE CHALLENGE
Plymouth Select v Leicester Select - OFF
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 28:
BRITISH FINAL, Belle Vue 1 Rory Schlein (Wolverhampton/Somerset) 2 Richard Lawson (Sheffield/Eastbourne) 3 Jason Crump (Ipswich) 4 Steve Worrall (Belle Vue/Poole)
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26:
BRITISH FINAL, Ipswich - OFF Re-staging date: Monday September 28 @ BELLE VUE
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 24:
CHALLENGE
Belle Vue Select 49 – Dan Bewley 13+1
ATPI All Stars 41 – Rory Schlein 11+1
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 22:
CHALLENGE
Plymouth Select 51 – Henry Atkins 18
British Young Lions 39 – Dan Thompson 10
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 21:
BRITISH UNDER-19 CHAMPIONSHIP, Scunthorpe 1 Drew Kemp (Ipswich/Eastbourne) 15 2 Dan Gilkes (Kent) 14 3 Jordan Palin (Scunthorpe/Belle Vue) 10 (after run-off)
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 20:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 4, Edinburgh
500cc 1 Joe Thompson 2 Dan Thompson 3 Harry McGurk 4 Archie Freeman
250cc 1 Max James 2 Ashton Vale (Two riders only in Final)
125cc (a) 1 Max Perry 2 William Cairns 3 Sonny Springer 4 Ben Trigger
125cc (b) – Support class 1 Stene Pijper 2 Owen Booth 3 Rebecca Weston 4 Harry Fletcher
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 6 CZECH REPUBLIC GRAND PRIX, Prague 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (POL) 20
2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 18
3 Jason Doyle (Aus) 16 4 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 6 of 8) 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 99 2 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 92 3 Tai Woffinden (GB) 89 4 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 71
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 18:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 5 CZECH REPUBLIC GRAND PRIX, Prague 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 20 2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 18 3 Martin Vaculik (Slk) 16 4 Emil Sayfutdinov (Rus) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 5 of 8) 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 79 2 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 78 3 Tai Woffinden (GB) 71 4 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 62
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 4 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Gorzow 1 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 20 2 Leon Madsen (Den) 18 3 Jason Doyle (Aus) 16 4 Emil Sayfutdnov (Rus) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 4 of 8) 1 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 66 2 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 59 3 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 57 4 Tai Woffinden (GB) 53
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 11:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 3 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Gorzow 1 Bartosz Zamarzlik (Pol) 20 2 Jason Doyle (Aus) 18 3 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 16 4 Leon Madsen (Den) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 3 of 8) 1 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 48 2 Bartisz Zmarzlik (Pol) 47 3 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 46 4 Tai Woffinden (GB) 43
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE CHALLENGE Leicester Select v Scunthorpe Select - OFF
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 8:
THREE TEAM TOURNAMENT, Plymouth
Eastbourne 31 – Tom Brennan 10, Jason Edwards 10
Isle of Wight 30 – Ben Morley 13
Plymouth 28- Alfie Bowtell 12
MONDAY AUGUST 31:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE CHALLENGE Scunthorpe Select 53 (Jordan Palin 14+1) Leicester Select 61 (Dan Thompson 13+1)
SUNDAY AUGUST 30:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP - Round 3, King’s Lynn 500cc 1 Joe Thompson 2 Harry McGurk 3 Elliot Kelly 4 Dan Thompson
250cc 1 Luke Harrison 2 Max James 3 Ashton Vale 4 Jody Scott
125cc (a) 1 Sonny Springer 2 Billy Budd 3 Jamie Etherington 4 Jack Shimelt
125cc (b - support class) 1 Rico Joyce 2 Becky Weston 3 Caydin Martin
SATURDAY AUGUST 29:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 2 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Wroclaw 1 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 20 2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 18 3 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 16 4 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 2 of 8) 1 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 38 2 Artem Laguta (Rus) 32 3 Tai Woffinden (GB) 32 4 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 30
FRIDAY AUGUST 28:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Wroclaw 1 Artem Laguta (Rus) 20 2 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 18 3 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 16 4 Tai Woffinden (GB) 14
SATURDAY AUGUST 22:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP - Round 2, Leicester 500cc 1 Dan Thompson 2 Joe Thompson 3 Elliot Kelly 4 Harry McGurk
250cc 1 Luke Harrison 2 Max James 3 Ashton Vale 4 Cameron Taylor
125cc (a) 1 Max Perry 2 Sonny Springer 3 Ben Trigger 4 Ace Pijper
125cc (b) - support class 1 Charlie Wood 2 Caydin Martin 3 Rico Joyce 4 Owen Booth
SUNDAY AUGUST 9:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP - Round 1, Scunthorpe 500cc 1 Jordan Palin 2 Dan Thompson 3 Archie Freeman 4 Joe Thompson
250cc 1 Max James 2 Luke Harrison 3 Ashton Vale 4 William Hocaniuk
125cc (class A) 1 William Cairns 2 Sonny Springer 3 Ben Trigger 4 Max Perry
125cc (class B - support class) 1 Billy Budd 2 Stene Pijper 3 Jake Lee 4 Owen Booth
SUNDAY MARCH 15:
50TH ANNIVERSARY MEETING, Peterborough - OFF
SATURDAY MARCH 14:
BEN FUND BONANZA, Scunthorpe 1 Danny King (Ipswich/Poole) 2 Steve Worrall (Belle Vue/Poole) 3 Josh Auty (Scunthorpe) 4 Lewis Kerr (King’s Lynn/Eastbourne)
