2020 Speedway Grand Prix Explained

Year:2020
Dates:28 August - 3 October
Events:8
Cities:4
Country:2
Per:15
Wc:1
Tr:2
Heats:184
P1f:POL
P2f:GBR
P3f:SWE
P3:Fredrik Lindgren

The 2020 Speedway Grand Prix season was the 26th season of the Speedway Grand Prix era, and decided the 75th FIM Speedway World Championship.[1] [2] It was the 20th series under the promotion of Benfield Sports International, an IMG company

A new points system was introduced with overall positions deciding the number of championship points a rider scored from a Grand Prix (GP), and points scored in each individual heat used to determine a rider's progress in a GP.

The series was dominated by Polish venues with six of the eight races held in Poland.[3] Bartosz Zmarzlik was the defending champion, having won the 2019 Speedway Grand Prix series, and he successfully retained his title in 2020 by winning four of the eight rounds. Former three-time champion Tai Woffinden finished second after winning a run-off with Fredrik Lindgren. Maciej Janowski, Leon Madsen and Jason Doyle completed the top six, thus earning places in the 2021 series.

Qualification

For the 2020 season there were 15 permanent riders, who were joined at each Grand Prix by one wild card and two track reserves.

The top eight riders from the 2019 championship qualified automatically.[4] These riders were joined by the three riders who qualified via the Grand Prix Challenge.

The final four riders were nominated by series promoters, Benfield Sports International, following the completion of the 2019 season.[5]

Qualified riders

Riders 2019 place GP Ch place Appearance Previous appearances in series
9515th 2012–2015, 2016–2019
3022nd 2013, 2019
893 9th 2009–2013, 2017–2019
664 11th 2004, 2006–2007, 2008–2014, 2016, 2017–2019
545 4 5th 2012, 2013, 2017–2019
716 6th 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015–2019
6976th 2015–2019
6928 4th 2016, 2017–2019
5591 10th 2003–2005, 2006–2007, 2008–2009, 2011, 2013–2019
88102 9th 2004–2005, 2006, 2008, 2009–2010, 2013–2017, 2018, 2019
46163 1st 2016-2017, 2019
222114th 2011, 2018–2019
851210th 2004, 2005–2007, 2009–2010, 2011–2013, 2015, 2016–2017, 2019
108139th 2010, 2011, 2013–2019
155 Mikkel Michelsen17 14 1st 2015, 2018–2019

Michelsen was handed a spot after initial wildcard pick Greg Hancock announced his retirement from the sport and first reserve Martin Smolinski withdrew due to injury.[6]

Qualified substitutes

The following riders were nominated as substitutes:

Riders 2019 place GP Ch place
115 18
105 5
20 6
96

Calendar

The 2020 season originally consisted of 10 events, the same number as in 2019.[7] The Slovenian round had been replaced by a new round in Russia. The British Grand Prix was originally scheduled to be held on July 18, but was cancelled on June 1. The first round in Warsaw was postponed to August 28, the Czech Grand Prix was postponed to September 19 & the German Grand Prix was postponed to a unknown date, all due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The rounds in Hallstavik and Målilla were cancelled on June 18.[8] On July 29 a final revised calendar was published by the organisers of the series, with a total of 8 rounds; 6 in Poland and 2 in the Czech Republic.

Final Classification

[9]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: WORLD INDIVIDUAL FINAL - RIDER INDEX. British Speedway. 10 July 2021.
  2. Web site: Speedway riders, history and results. wwosbackup. 10 July 2021.
  3. Web site: Calendar. Speedway GP. 29 July 2021.
  4. Web site: 2019 FIM Speedway World Championship results. SGP. 2019-10-06. 2019-05-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20190526101922/https://www.speedwaygp.com/season-results. dead.
  5. Web site: 2020 wildcards announced. SGP. 2019-10-06. 2019-10-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20191006180455/https://www.speedwaygp.com/news/article/7874/world-champs-return-for-sgp. dead.
  6. Web site: Mikkelsen replaces Smolinski. SGP. 2020-08-20. 2020-09-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20200913074424/https://www.speedwaygp.com/news/article/8459/michelsen-replaces-smolinski-in-sgp. dead.
  7. Web site: 2020 FIM Speedway World Championship calendar confirmed. SGP. 2019-11-04. 2019-11-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20191104091830/https://www.speedwaygp.com/news/article/7920/sgp-2020-calendar-confirmed. dead.
  8. Web site: Grand Prix Events Cancelled . Speedway Grand Prix . 24 July 2020 . 18 June 2020 . 24 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200724191351/https://www.speedwaygp.com/news/article/8309/sweden%E2%80%99s-2020-fim-speedway-grand#:~:text=2020%20Norrbil%20Swedish%20SGP%20in%20Hallstavik%20and%20Scandinavian%20SGP%20in%20Malilla%20cancelled.&text=Due%20to%20ongoing%20health%20concerns,Scandinavian%20FIM%20Speedway%20Grand%20Prix. . dead .
  9. Web site: 2020 FIM Speedway World Championship standings. SGP.