2020 Wildcards

[OveFundinFan]

Equally interesting is the 4 series reserves. Say that because this year Lambert really got used, and Fricke didn’t do too bad for meetings. So who are the 4 for 2020.

If Lambert not in the full 15, does he have another pick for 4 reserves.   Smektala, Michelson, Thomson, Woryna possible.

[Col]

Michelson is most deserving of a Wild Card after Woffinden.

I think Hancock would have to prove himself in league speedway before he gets back in the GP's but maybe he'll get one. There is no obvious deserving rider.

It's no to an Artem Laguta Wildcard for me.

[PHILIPRISING]

SGP Commission meeting in Torun this morning so shouldn't have long to wait ...

[Dornier]

Personally think Hancock should call it a day in the GPs.    Hes old and should be thinking more about his family now

especially after recent events. I would hate to see him having a bad accident and being beyond repair.

[arnieg]

11 hours ago, lucifer sam said:

It's not about needing another Pole.  It's about having the best 15 riders in the world (or as near as possible) in the series.  None of the alternatives are as good as Drabik.

If it is about the best 15 riders in the world why do you exclude Michelsen? He did more than Drabik in his GP appearances this year. He has performed better than Drabik in the Extraliga and Elitserien and is miles ahead of a horde of GP riders  in both the Polish and Swedish averages.

[tarkens]

I hope it's Tai, Laguta, Michelsen and Drabik, but we all know that if Hancock wants it, he'll get it. 

Laguta is an interesting one, he's definitely been one of the fastest riders in the series this year and yet he finished hmm 11th? 

I think Tai and Michelsen are shoe-ins. Michelsen had a very good season and even though he had a poor Challenge, he definitely deserves it more than the likes of Bjerre, Lindback, Thomsen, Lambert etc. 

1. Zmarzlik
2. Madsen
3. Sajfutdinow
4. Lindgren
5. Vaculik
6. Janowski
7. Doyle
8. Dudek
9. Zagar
10. Iversen
11. Fricke
12. Woffinden
13. Laguta
14. Michelsen
15. Hancock/Drabik

not bad at all

 

[Terry]

Always makes me chuckle when people say 'this rider' or 'that rider' deserves to be in the series.

The only riders who deserve to be there are the 11 qualifiers.

Still, we have to go through this charade every year, so I guess Woffinden and Hancock are obvious, along with Michelsen (Euro champ) and Drabik (U21 champ.) 

 

[Dandelion]

I'd love to see the two Lagutas in... Think Grigory would be nice and controversial... Which will liven up the series some more... Artem is the best rider in the world on his day... Woffinden is obvious... Last place... Maksym Drabik, Mikkel Michelsen, Bartosz Smektala or Greg Hancock farewell (If he wants it) Think Greg is still one of the best in the world... Even with his year out

Reserves: I'd like to see Lambert get another reserve spot, but too early for a full time spot... Same goes for Chuganov...

1. Bartosz Zmarzlik

2. Leon Madsen

3. Emil Sayfutdinov

4. Fredrik Lindgren

5. Martin Vaculik

6. Maciej Janowski

7. Jason Doyle

8. Patryk Dudek

9. Matej Zagar

10. Niels Kristian Iversen

11. Max Fricke

12. Tai Woffinden

13. Artem Laguta

14. Grigory Laguta

15. Maksym Drabik/Greg Hancock/Mikkel Michelsen/Bartosz Smektala

Reserves: Robert Lambert, Gleb Chuganov, (Drabik, Michelsen, Smektala) Whichever two don't get picked full time, Anders Thomsen (Euro Champion)

Realistically... I know Greg might be a gamble... But I still think he'll finish top 8... And he's a legend... Would be nice to see him go out age 50, and with a bang

Edited October 6, 2019 by Dandelion

[Col]

45 minutes ago, tarkens said:

Laguta is an interesting one, he's definitely been one of the fastest riders in the series this year and yet he finished hmm 11th? 

Not checked but I'm sure his Swedish & Polish league averages put him as one of the top 15 riders, plus a second consecutive SoN gold, but from what I've seen he's little other than a gater. If there is a gap that might get closed he doesn't go for it & simply isn't aggressive enough to compete at the very top level.

[TheReturn]

15 hours ago, BWitcher said:

Yeah, offering a 4 time World Champion who rightfully qualified before his wife's illness sure does 'make a mockery'.

After a year out?    Gifting a wildcard now (for non speedway injury) would be a 'mockery' of the sport.

If we are going to gift wildcards to ex world champions, why not Nicki?  Yes I know that is ridiculous, but so is your argument. 

[TheReturn]

14 hours ago, Crumpet77 said:

Not good enough, gone backwards this year.

Results wise, but he's always been on the pace. But one problem was the amount of racing he's had to do because of his unexpected SGP call up.  If we are gifting wildcards then why not Lambert instead of Hancock, he's the future. 

 

[TheReturn]

7 minutes ago, Crumpet77 said:

I'm no Hancock fan, but the guy has done nothing wrong to be overlooked. Just my opinion.

I agree, but he's not ridden for an entire year.  He may well be good enough, but we simply don't know and because he did not ride for a non speedway injury, he should not be given a wildcard. The reason he did not ride is sad, but this is meant to be the best speedway riders right now, and we simply do not know if Hancock is that.  As I have said multiple times on here, look at how much Woffy struggled after just 2 GPs out injured.

God forbid this happens, but let's say Hancock gets injured early season and can not ride for the rest of the season, and/or comes back to league racing but is average at best, but says he wants to ride in 2021. Do we then gift him another wildcard then simply because he's an ex world champion?    

Edited October 6, 2019 by TheReturn

[TheReturn]

I still think a much fairer and sporting way of doing this (if we have to have wildcard picks) is the wildcard picks (extended to those who failed to make top 8 and other wildcards)  have to race off at the start of 2020... let them earn their place. 

[BWitcher]

38 minutes ago, TheReturn said:

After a year out?    Gifting a wildcard now (for non speedway injury) would be a 'mockery' of the sport.

If we are going to gift wildcards to ex world champions, why not Nicki?  Yes I know that is ridiculous, but so is your argument. 

Pedersen finished outside of the top 8. 

Hancock did not. 

Age is utterly irrelevent. If he is still in the top 8 at age 80 and wants to carry on, he does so.

If he rides next year, falls outside the top 8, then you don't give him a wildcard the following year. Simple as that.

If you think taking the time out to look after your sick wife is a 'mockery', then so be it. It doesn't matter whether he's 25, 35,45 or 50. He should only be applauded for that.

There is one reason and one reason alone you don't want him picked... you don't like him.

[BWitcher]

38 minutes ago, TheReturn said:

Results wise, but he's always been on the pace. But one problem was the amount of racing he's had to do because of his unexpected SGP call up.  If we are gifting wildcards then why not Lambert instead of Hancock, he's the future. 

 

Because Lamberts very best year so far isn't a patch on Hancocks worst GP year.

[BWitcher]

28 minutes ago, TheReturn said:

I agree, but he's not ridden for an entire year.  He may well be good enough, but we simply don't know and because he did not ride for a non speedway injury, he should not be given a wildcard. The reason he did not ride is sad, but this is meant to be the best speedway riders right now, and we simply do not know if Hancock is that.  As I have said multiple times on here, look at how much Woffy struggled after just 2 GPs out injured.

God forbid this happens, but let's say Hancock gets injured early season and can not ride for the rest of the season, and/or comes back to league racing but is average at best, but says he wants to ride in 2021. Do we then gift him another wildcard then simply because he's an ex world champion?    

Obviously not.

He should be given a wild card because he QUALIFIED in his last GP season. Significant difference to those who get them when outside the top 8.

[baiden]

Interview with Armado Castagna on sportowefakty. He says the decision on the wildcards will be made today with an announcement on Monday morning.

He also confirms Greg Hancock will be offered a wildcard. When asked if Hancock will be getting one, he says "Yes. And doesn't he deserve it?"

Away from the wildcard situation, Castanga also said "I can tell you that there will be three big changes in the Grand Prix"... adding that "these will be changes that improve the Grand Prix cycle". He says these changes will be announced at the Frankfurt Conference on November 2-3.

Edited October 6, 2019 by baiden
Adding extra quotes

[r8gdp]

Think the wild cards will be woffenden Hancock A laguta and michealsen

i d personally like g laguta in but can t see it . Lambert had a good season last year but this year as levelled off so think he ll get one of the reserve picks along with drabik and possibly smektala

[iand]

5 minutes ago, r8gdp said:

Think the wild cards will be woffenden Hancock A laguta and michealsen

i d personally like g laguta in but can t see it . Lambert had a good season last year but this year as levelled off so think he ll get one of the reserve picks along with drabik and possibly smektala

Not sure if Lambert has done enough over the season to be chosen as one of the 4 reserves, Thomson must be 1 of the reserves having so narrowly missed out in the challenge meeting, followed by Michelson. Agree with Drabik and Smektala for reserve. Hancock ,Woffy, Laguta and Lindback for the wild cards

[chunky]

When I questioned those who think Drabik should be in, I was met with the response that he is one of (or close to being one of) the best 15 riders in the world. Sorry, I'm still not convinced.

Thing is, I'm not a Lindback fan - way too inconsistent for me - but it comes down to this; is Drabik better than Lindback? At the moment, I would say "no".

I do think that nationality will still play a part, but we have wait and see how big a part. Like some others, I think Michelsen is worthy of inclusion.

As much as I like Lambert, I don't think he is worthy - yet. I don't feel he went backwards this year, but he didn't advance as much as he could. Still, it is not unusual for an up-and-coming rider to have a "year of consolidation" after making an initial impact, and it happens in all sports. Obviously, injuries played a part, and he wasn't able to reproduce his early season form after the SoN crash.