GP round 7 Malilla Sweden Saturday August 14th live on BT Sport

[Col]

Well it was pretty dire as a spectacle until the two semi's.
You have to hand it to Zmarzlik, didn't look like he was going to make the semi's after 4 rides but to win the GP from that position is "remarkable, Kelv."  So much faith & confidence in his own ability.
Wonder if that will hit the confidence of Laguta, looked like he was going to be leading the series comfortably at the end of the night, at that stage.

Suspect the top 3 tonight will end the series as the top three in that order, with Janowski in fourth.  Some big names are going to have to battle it out for top 6 - Sayfutidnov, Madsen, Doyle & Woffinden.
Lambert isn't having any luck but bad luck currently, but he should learn allot from this, just too naïve at times, don't think he'll do enough to retain his GP spot unless he can do so through the qualifiers.  Needed to finish above the other younger GP regulars - Fricke & Thomsen to have a chance but it's not going to happen.  When he does hit the front though it's clear he has enough speed as he pulls away comfortably.

I hope this is the last season we'll see Kasprzak & Zagar in the series, always liked Zagar but is lacking at this level now.

[OveFundinFan]

I think tonight has highlighted the fault in the scoring system like it’s not been highlighted before. 

[Col]

2 hours ago, Steve Shovlar said:

I have to ask. Has Janowski been nobbled? Not made a start since when he was leading the series by a mile. It’s ridiculous that he hadn’t made one start in 4 GP’s. Beyond comprehension. The guy is one of the best riders in the world. Everyone can see he is trying during the race.

 

I believe his confidence brittle, unlike Zmarzlik.

[topaz325]

The track came to the riders.

[chunky]

33 minutes ago, Bruiser said:

The points system is fine..it’s actually much better than somebody winning the meeting, stood on top of the podium and actually losing ground on a rival….that was very hard to explain to a non fan.

Great point...

Besides, it's the same for everyone.

[Grachan]

1 hour ago, OveFundinFan said:

I think tonight has highlighted the fault in the scoring system like it’s not been highlighted before. 

I thought he opposite actually. I thought the way Zmarzlik turned it all round was great and I saw that as a positive.

I think I prefer the old scoring system, but I did like the turnaround in tonight's meeting.

[HenryW]

2 hours ago, Bruiser said:

The points system is fine..it’s actually much better than somebody winning the meeting, stood on top of the podium and actually losing ground on a rival….that was very hard to explain to a non fan.

I'll be honest, I still prefer the "every point counts" system for what it means to the intensity of the racing in every heat, but the current GP system does remove the potential for weird results like we saw in the SEC this year, which still uses the "every point counts" system.

The round results for the top two were:

Leon Madsen: 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 1st

Mikkel Michelsen: 4th, 5th, 1st, 2nd

Series winner was Mikkel....WHAT???

Edited August 14, 2021 by HenryW

[ray c]

the points system is so flawed losing interest in the gp with this scoring system 

[Bagpuss]

4 minutes ago, ray c said:

the points system is so flawed losing interest in the gp with this scoring system 

Add to that some very ordinary racing and the same bloke winning every year and its not gripping viewing for me unfortunately. 

[OveFundinFan]

The last half the meeting was good racing, but half a meeting wasted waiting for the track to come to the riders. This is the world championship, the pinnacle. The riders deserve something better, the fans who have paid good money to be there deserve something better, the tv viewers having paid good money to view deserve better, and so do the sponsors of the event and riders alike.             
Malilla is a better race track then we got last night. I know track staff will have worked very hard to get any racing on, and I appreciate that, but it would take not a lot of effort from a load of juniors doing different racing lines for 10 or more laps just to help the track along.

[Paleco]

Zmarzlik is from another world, Laguta will need go out of his comfort zone to beat Zmarzlik. I liked old scoring system better.

[OveFundinFan]

52 minutes ago, Paleco said:

Zmarzlik is from another world, Laguta will need go out of his comfort zone to beat Zmarzlik. I liked old scoring system better.

Actually I think Laguta has come out of his comfort zone. His manager says there has been a difference since Laguta winning Prague.  Certainly he is chasing with a view to take on a pass. He went round the outside of Freddie last night…… brave man.

Edited August 15, 2021 by OveFundinFan

[r8gdp]

Smarzlik got lucky last night with doyle getting excluded it gave him a free run out wide with doyle there it could have been all different but it’s all ifs and buts now. 

[noggin]

3 hours ago, ray c said:

the points system is so flawed losing interest in the gp with this scoring system 

 

3 hours ago, Bagpuss said:

Add to that some very ordinary racing and the same bloke winning every year and its not gripping viewing for me unfortunately. 

I don't have Bt sport anymore, and can't say I've missed the gps, was getting boring and predictable, and reading comments from this year's series sounds like it ain't getting better, time for a revamp.

[bigcatdiary]

13 hours ago, r8gdp said:

I think it’s worst telling a non fan someone scores 8 in the meeting then gets 20 for winning one race .the gp in my opinion as gone downhill 

 

I agree, every race and point counting was much better and easier to understand.

Also heats 1-20 were more keenly contested, riders now seem happy to accept 2nd and 3rd places after missing the gate.

The meeting doesn’t really come to life until heat 17.

Edited August 15, 2021 by bigcatdiary

[Falubaz]

4 hours ago, Bagpuss said:

Add to that some very ordinary racing and the same bloke winning every year and its not gripping viewing for me unfortunately. 

I understand you saw GPs when Woffinden was winning every year flawed? Or when Pedersen was winning 6 times? Or maybe Hancock? Did you just stop watching speedway back then?

[Col]

1 hour ago, r8gdp said:

Smarzlik got lucky last night with doyle getting excluded it gave him a free run out wide with doyle there it could have been all different but it’s all ifs and buts now. 

Agreed but he was brave enough to back his ability to get to the first bend with the option of getting around those inside him. Deserved that luck. Personally I don't think Doyle would have got to the bend in time to hinder his run around the outside.

[ray c]

14 minutes ago, Falubaz said:

I understand you saw GPs when Woffinden was winning every year flawed? Or when Pedersen was winning 6 times? Or maybe Hancock? Did you just stop watching speedway back then?

you tell me when a rider scores eight points just gets into the semi final  and then awful wins it is not flawed twenty heats that dont mean very much just my opinion of course  

[Fromafar]

It’s all about getting to semi finals now,can’t really blame riders for settling for a couple of points a race which all but guarantees a semi final place.The top 1/2 dozen don’t really have much trouble 80% of the time

[bigcatdiary]

6 minutes ago, Col said:

Agreed but he was brave enough to back his ability to get to the first bend with the option of getting around those inside him. Deserved that luck. Personally I don't think Doyle would have got to the bend in time to hinder his run around the outside.

We will never know but it would have been nicer to see.

In the current climate why do riders still try and get a flier, even when it works they invariably get pulled back by referees, it’s completely stupid but the riders still keep doing it.