PHILIPRISING

Torben Olsen, Managing Director of Speedway GP marketer BSI, will be able to present races at several new venues in the future. "But that depends on the interest there," says the Dane. For the third time, the Speedway GP will be on the 28th of October 2017 at the magnificent Etihad Stadium in Melbourne's Docklands. Australia is the only World Cup run outside Europe, since the 1995 Grand Prix there was only one other Overseas GP: in Auckland / New Zealand. In the Western Springs Stadium, from 2012 to 2014, the last race there won sensationally Martin Smolinski, thereby providing the only German Grand Prix victory. SPEEDWEEK.com teamed up with Managing Director Torben Olsen of GP promoter BSI to discuss possible future races. Torben, with the high logistics costs for the race in Australia: Would not it make sense to link Melbourne to a race in the USA or New Zealand, thus splitting the costs? We look to make things as efficient as possible. But there are not many places in the world where we can ride on two continents within a week, as MotoGP does. For safety reasons, to mount the motorcycles and because of the customs. At the moment when a weekend is between the races, the logistical cost savings are eaten up by hotel costs. We always keep an eye on the costs. It also depends on which promoters are interested. For the race in Melbourne, do you pay for the airfreight of the material and the tickets for the drivers and their mechanics? The costs will be borne by us together with the promoter, also for the hotels. Do you see new countries in the calendar of the Speedway-GP in the medium term? Yes, we are talking about new countries. There are France and Russia, there is interest in a temporary race track in the Middle East. In Argentina there was a U21 World Cup. We will not see Grand Prix in Argentina, USA or Canada next year, but we are fighting for it. Do you see countries where the Speedway sport has developed particularly well over the last few years? There are a few Youngsters coming from the UK, where some efforts have been made. Denmark always beat well, but at the moment there is a small low. In Sweden, we work together with the Svemo at a Speedway Academy. It helps the FIM to establish the new 250 championship. Numerous promising Youngsters still come from Poland. RUSSIA in 2019 is on the cards...

PRESUMABLY you mean NOT getting paid...

DEFINITELY no Auckland, very much doubt Gorican, Riga a possibility

IT will be an Australian but not necessarily one of the two reserves

DAVID and Peter Mason ...

KILDEMAND replaces Pedersen, Smolinski replaces Hancock, Fricke would have replaced Lindgren but is now unavailable himself.

IT was indeed. When leaving the stadium with KT and NP, we all agreed that if we lived in Torun we would happily pay to watch speedway there. Just seeing and experiencing how the whole town is behind the Torun club makes you realise that British speedway is light years away. However, it is encouraging to hear from Mark Lemon that Manchester City Council is very supportive of the NSS there.

I TAKE your point but don't think BT's approach to 2018 will change because of this one fixture. They were delighted with the viewing figures for the play-offs. But the fact is that some promoters don't want televised speedway because, they believe, without a cash payment to the clubs it actually does more harm than good. Cuckoo land of course. The Chairman of the BSPA told me in Torun over the weekend that my piece in Speedway Star, which was the forerunner of this particular topic, did huge damage to British speedway, that the sport is quite healthy in the UK and that most tracks have reported increased attendances. At King's Lynn they improved dramatically after the sacking of Batchelor and Holder despite five consecutive home defeats. Fortunately he walked away before I could ask him what planet he was on.

KIT had to be in Amsterdam today ...

TALKS with the Polish authorities in Torun over the weekend did not go well ... RIDERS don't actually have a contract after October 31st

FIXED race nights for the PL is not solely about getting some of the so-called top riders back, although that could be a possibility. It is because in the eyes of many promoters doubling up is a necessity and that fixture clashes have to be avoided between the two senior domestic leagues in the UK. Was speaking to Belle Vue's Mark Lemon on Saturday and he says most of his time is spent trying to arrange fixtures and to get his seven riders together.

VERY harsh and very inaccurate. You cannot have been there for a very long time. Had a lovely hotel in Torun, nice food, drove 100 miles to Gdansk on a new motorway this morning to a new airport. Hardly third world.

THEY have also been crying out for their riders to be available for their team when they have a meeting.

IF, as I was assured by a senior member of the BSPA over the weekend, Mondays and Thursday are a done deal for the Premiership, that would suit Sheffield in the PL and Leicester in the CL.

THE do some strange things at Torun. I was afforded a Super Vip pass and popped into the hospitality lounge just before the start. Was offered a drink but told that the hot food (which I didn't want) would be available from Heat 1. So the choice would have been ... eat or watch the speedway. However, seats were perfect. Struck by how fast these guys go now. Full gas from start to finish. Races under a minute on a large track. Spectacular and exciting in its own way but doesn't really allow for much passing, unless you adopt the Zmarzlik technique and virtually ride through your fellow countryman Przedpelski.

EMIL has. changed tuners

HE'S just a reserve ...what's the harm in that. And, yes, BSI do care.

IT is also Watt's farewell meeting and the Aussies felt he deserved the chance to make his exit at the Etihad.

EXACTLY

TORUN to Gdansk about an hour on the new toll motorway

YOU don't have to take the bait if that is what you think is.

PARDON me but isn't that what a forum is all about?

I HAVE spoken to several riders who believe that there are tyres available that could be only used in wet conditions and that could save some meetings from being called off.

THAT'S really a different but serious question and one which, presumably, the BSPA re trying to resolve with Premiership and Championship sides racing on different nights.

IF you actually read what I have written you will know that I was simply putting it out for a discussion while watching the final on TV last night. I do, however, think BWitcher makes a good point and wonder whether many of the points raised would have been the same had the rider in question not been Woffinden. Anyway, it created some online chat which was the point of the exercise.