False dawn

When, not if.

But as was pointed out in Talk Dirty, riders are only allowed 2 "mechanics". Doesn't leave many free hands/eyes to be watching the relevant gate performance . Mind you. It doesn't stop a rider having someone in the stands doing that job and texting one of the team just before the semis. Any riders reading this, please PM me. I have a good piece of tech for this type of analysis

Leon Madsen £200 more

No offence Neil, but the big difference is that those meetings aren't part of a series. I'm at a loss as to why they changed the system. We heard last night that they want competitors to keep pushing throughout the meeting, to make every race matter. Well every race did matter under the old system, not just for the one meeting, but right until the last race of the series. If you've got a reasonable score during the qualifying races now, the only thing you're racing for is gate choice. This can be critical but not always (last night for example). I, for one, never had a problem with the GP winner not necessarily being the top scorer. The meeting final and the points scored counted for different things. And you could easily work out each competitors meeting and year to date series score as I was doing race by race during the meeting in Torun last October. As others have said, if you really wanted to achieve an improved solution (?), simply increase the points awarded in the final (and maybe even in the semis as well).

Great camera work

Maciej Janowski £100 more Bartosz Zmarzlik £100 less

Strange isn't it? You race a multi round, prestigeous competition and come second and you're not automatically "promoted" if the winner qualifies for the GPs some other way. But if you finish 4th in a one off meeting with a relatively poor line up, you do. No offence R&R. You're not responsible for the FIM.

I stand corrected. And I'm pleased to be wrong (I hope the Missus ain't reading this). Seriously I am. I thought I'd read otherwise some months ago. Did they change the rules again since? So, did Vaclav Milik, by running wide in the final turn of heat 19 last night, not only lose a chance of a run off for a top 3 place (or even a top 1 place) but also 4th place? By my figuring he finished 5th behind Aleksandr Loktajev on race wins. An extremely expensive mistake (possibly).

But as I said earlier, that is not quite the case now that the FIM have changed the rules. Up until this year, position 4 last night could hang on to the hope that Matej Zagar qualifies for next year by finishing high enough in this year's GP series. Now the FIM have closed that door by saying if a top 3 finisher from the GP Challenge qualifies some other way (Challenge or SEC), then they will award an additional wildcard. I think this is so unfair. To give existing GP riders a free shot at qualification for the following year (especially via the challenge) and to effectively exclude another rider, makes a mockery of the qualification system. In the extreme, we could imagine three existing GP riders finishing in the top three of the Challenge and thus making the Challenge completely meaningless.

The 4th place is not automatically selected anymore. The FIM put in another wildcard

Yes. A 4 man run off for 3 places. You wouldn't go home very happy if you were last in that race!

You've got a target on your back now Well played.

Robert has a great future. But let's take great pride in his achievement today. As David Rowe in commentary, he was in the National League 7 years ago. And now, he is beginning a World class career, winning a major championship and heading into the GP series next year. A special day.

British National Anthem

What a wonderful result.

Snap

Finish no worse than one place behind Leon assuming Leon gets through the last chance

It looks like KK could play an important part in the final result of this competition. The irony of that cannot be lost on anyone who know how reliable (or otherwise) he is! Heat 17 with KK off gate 1 might result in a few having pause for thought for the rest of the meeting. Good luck everyone.

I really hope the youmg/amatuer riders get some on track action this year. I assume, given the lack of profession racing, fans will flood in and watch our future talent. You won't be disappointed. I've got my ticket for Scunthorpe already.

As long as he behaves, off track, better than he did at Poole. Otherwise, he'll be on the first plane home.

He was such an exciting rider a couple of years ago. It is so disappointing to see him in "the crowd".

I know. But they think that Labour will win the next election as well. I'll get my coat

Talking of Lee. Did anyone else notice those eyes?

Made of rubber!

That's good advice in normal circumstances