Mikael Max Explained

Mikael Max
Mikael Karlsson
Nationality:Swedish
Birth Date:21 August 1973
Birth Place:Gullspång, Sweden
Career1:Sweden
Years2:1989–1998
Years3:1999–2002
Career3:Valsarna
Years4:2003–2005, 2015–2016
Career4:Dackarna
Years5:2006–2008
Career5:Piraterna
Career7:Gnistorna
Years7:2006–2015
Career8:Lejonen
Years8:2010–2011
Career9:Hammarby
Years9:2013
Career10:Indianerna
Years10:2014
Career11:Great Britain
Years12:1993–1994, 1996–1999, 2001–2005
Career12:Wolverhampton Wolves
Years13:2006
Career13:Arena Essex Hammers
Career14:Poland
Years15:1995
Years16:2000–2002
Years17:2003
Years18:2005 2009–2010
Career18:Rzeszów
Years19:2006–2007
Years20:2008
Years21:2011
Years22:2012
Indivyear1:1994
Indivhonour1:World Under-21 Champion
Indivyear2:1992
Indivhonour2:Swedish U21 champion
Teamyear1:1994, 2000, 2003, 2004
Teamhonour1:Speedway World Cup
Teamyear2:1996
Teamhonour2:Premier League
Teamyear3:1996
Teamhonour3:Elite League KO Cup Winner
Teamyear4:1997
Teamhonour4:Premiership Winner
Teamyear5:2002
Teamhonour5:Elite League
Teamyear6:2005
Teamhonour6:Polish Div Two Champion
Teamyear7:1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1999
Teamhonour7:Swedish Elitserien Champion
Teamyear8:1992, 1996, 2002, 2003
Teamhonour8:Swedish Pairs Champion

Karl Mikael Karlsson (born 21 August 1973),[1] who later rode under the name Mikael Max, is a Swedish former international motorcycle speedway rider.[2] [3]

Career

After first riding a speedway bike at the age of twelve, he moved up to 500cc bikes in 1989.[4] He represented Sweden at under-21 level in 1990, and made his full debut for Sweden in 1991.

He won the Swedish U21 championship in 1992[5] and finished runner-up to Joe Screen in the World Under-21 Championship in 1993.[6] He made amends the following season by winning the championship in 1994.[7]

Karlsson made his British speedway debut in 1993 for Wolverhampton Wolves, going on to ride for the club until 2005, only missing the 1995 and 2000 seasons. In 2006, he rode for the Arena Essex Hammers. Max is his mother's maiden name and he raced as Mikael Max from 2003.[8]

Max won four World team championships in 1994, 2000, 2003 and 2004.[9]

His two brothers, Peter Karlsson and Magnus Karlsson, are both speedway riders. All three brothers represented Sweden in the 2007 Speedway World Cup, with Magnus riding at reserve. He won the Swedish Pairs Championship four times, twice with brother Peter, in 1992 and 1996, with Stefan Dannö in 2002 and with Stefan Andersson in 2003.

World Championship

Speedway Grand Prix results

YearPositionPointsBest FinishNotes
199516th1715th
199623rd0-Reserve in Swedish Grand Prix (did not ride)
199716th148th8th in Great Britain Grand Prix. Reserve in three others.
199914th459th
200013th397th
20017th592nd2nd in Sweden Grand Prix. 3rd in Poland Grand Prix.
20025th1223rd3rd in Norway Grand Prix. 3rd in Great Britain Grand Prix.
200313th525th
200416th499th
200528th017thReserve at Sweden Grand Prix

See also

Notes and References

  1. Oakes, P.(2006). Speedway Star Almanac.
  2. Book: Montague, Trevor. The A-Z of Sport. 2004. 522. Little, Brown. 0-316-72645-1.
  3. Web site: Mikael Karl Max Szwecja . Polish Speedway Database . 26 March 2023.
  4. Oakes, Peter (2004) British Speedway Who's Who,, p. 150
  5. Web site: Swedish Speedway Junior Championship . Speedway History . 21 March 2023.
  6. News: Joe's king - thanks to pals . Manchester Evening News . 16 August 1993 . 9 March 2024. British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
  7. News: Wolves' Karlsson trumphant as King of the Under-21s . Birmingham Daily Post . 15 August 1994 . 10 March 2024. British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
  8. Web site: 2008 Rider index . British Speedway . 28 March 2023.
  9. Web site: There have been three international team competitions run by the F.I.M . International Speedway . 26 March 2023.