Three riders entered the last race with everything on the line. Robert Lambert emerged as the new Speedway GP world champion.
England’s Robert Lambert has captured his maiden World Speedway Championship on the back of a sensational second half of the season.
The quietly spoken Norwich-born racer, who is also the reigning British Champion, finished the season with three victories and three runner-up finishes to capture the crown by just two points.
The former world number two was not really considered a threat to the two main protagonists, Bartosz Zmarzlik of Poland and Australia’s Brady Kurtz, but an incredible turnaround in form saw him slowly bridge the gap. With four rounds to go, he looked an outside chance at best.
He won round seven, finished runner-up in round eight and, in an incredible stroke of luck in the rain-affected round nine in Denmark, was awarded 20 points as round winner after top-scoring in the heats. The meeting was abandoned before the finals.
This is by no means a shot at Lambert. He may have benefited from the rules, but he didn’t write them. You need a bit of luck to win a World Championship.
With Lambert capturing three round wins, Zmarzlik two and Kurtz one, it paints a pretty accurate picture of overall form, and it’s fair to say Lambert has been the best rider in the world for the last three months.
As far as Kurtz is concerned, he probably carried a bit of a mental hangover into the season after winning five rounds in 2025 and losing the championship by a solitary point.
He was still a formidable competitor this year, but slipped up in a number of heats, finishing last against lesser opposition more often than he has previously.
My gut feeling is that he will have a career year next year and capture the crown, but that’s easier said than done. Firstly, he will have to contend with Lambert and Zmarzlik, while the second of the Brits, Dan Bewley, should also be back to full fitness.
Bewley finished third overall in 2025 and was runner-up in this year’s opening round. Unfortunately, he broke his femur in Denmark soon after and sat out the majority of the season. Some think he’s a slightly more gifted rider than Lambert – but it doesn’t sound right to say it!
Add to that the return of the often-fiery Aussie Jack Holder and you have a cocktail for something very much worth watching.
Upon Lambert capturing this year’s championship, it was heartening to see the sportsmanship from both Zmarzlik and Kurtz, with both going out of their way to congratulate the new champion.
These three riders were head and shoulders above the others who completed this year’s series, with the absence of Holder and Bewley leaving a massive void.
As for the two remaining Aussies, former World Champion Jason Doyle has announced his retirement from the Grand Prix series, though he will continue riding professionally in European league racing.
Meanwhile, Victoria’s Max Fricke managed to hang on to his seeded place in the series for next year, but inconsistency is still a huge issue for the likeable former Australian champion.
When he is on his game, he can ride the outside line with more control and speed than anyone, but he is prone to the odd very poor heat. Onward and upward for Max.
So there it is. We have a new World Champion and plenty to look forward to in 2027… see below!
AUSTRALIA TO HOST GRAND PRIX DOUBLE-HEADER
Australian speedway fans are beside themselves following the announcement that Adelaide will host the final two rounds of next year’s World Championship at Gillman Speedway on 29 and 30 October 2027.
It will be the first time Australia has hosted a GP since 2017, when local hero Jason Doyle captured the crown in front of a parochial crowd at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium.
While significant changes will need to be made as far as seating and catering go, the bottom line is that Gillman is a wonderful speedway track and has the potential to deliver the best racing of the series.
It is easily the best bike track in Australia and there is no doubt it will be very well attended.
More on this in coming issues of AMCN.
