The Polish speedway champions, Pres Grupa Deweloperska Toruń, have presented their new suits – kevlars for the 2026 season. They sparked widespread discussion among fans, with their lighter variant in yellow-blue colors turning out to be a tribute to the club's legend, Swede Per Jonsson, who raced for Apator Toruń from 1991–1994. The club officially confirmed the inspiration from the historical design, referencing tradition. Some fans initially criticized the design for its similarity to rivals' suits, but many changed their minds after explanations from the club officials.

Tribute to a club legend

The new light yellow-blue suit of Pres Toruń directly references the suits worn by Per Jonsson from 1991–1994. The club confirmed that the concept for such a kevlar had been on their minds for a long time, and the new league regulations provided the opportunity.

Mixed fan reaction

The presentation of the suits sparked a flood of comments. While the darker variant was met with approval, the lighter one evoked extreme emotions. Some fans accused it of resembling the kevlars of rivals from Gorzów, which over time changed into an understanding of the historical reference.

New season for the Polish champions

The team led by Piotr Baron is preparing to defend the PGE Ekstraliga championship title. There has been one change in the squad – Jan Kvech has been replaced by Norick Bloedorn. The club is again mentioned among the favorites.

The Polish speedway champions, Pres Grupa Deweloperska Toruń, have officially presented their new protective suits – kevlars – for the 2026 season. The presentation, which took place during the preparatory camp in Spain, quickly transcended a simple equipment announcement, becoming one of the most commented-on off-season events. The club prepared two suit variants: one darker, already known to fans, and a second, lighter one, in dominant shades of yellow and light blue. It was this second set that sparked the greatest controversy. Initially, many fans criticized it for being too similar to the suits of the Gezet Stali Gorzów team, a traditional rival of Toruń. However, voices soon emerged recognizing historical elements in this design. In response to the wave of comments, the club issued an official statement, clearing up all doubts. „„tak, nasz jaśniejszy kevlar inspirowany jest skórami Pera Jonssona z lat 1991-1994. Koncept takiego stroju chodził za nami już jakiś czas, a obecne wymogi regulaminowe Speedway Ekstraliga dały nam do tego sposobność. Złota nie ma (wisi w gablocie), dalej jest skromnie, za to jest trochę historii i tradycji”” — Pres Grupa Deweloperska Toruń. This explanation changed many people's perception of the project. Under the club's post, comments began to appear from fans admitting they were changing their minds, now appreciating the tribute to the legend. Speedway in Poland has a long-standing club tradition, and individual teams often emphasize their history through visual references. Apator Toruń, whose tradition is continued by the current Pres Toruń, was one of the leading clubs in the 1990s, and Per Jonsson was one of its biggest stars. Swede Per Jonsson is a tragic figure in the history of the Toruń club and speedway in general. His brilliant career, during which he won, among other things, the gold medal in the Team World Championship for Apator in 1992, was cut short by a serious track accident in Bydgoszcz in 1994. Since then, he has been in a wheelchair. Therefore, the reference to his suits from that period is a symbolic honoring of a club icon. It is not yet officially confirmed which kevlar variant will be assigned to home matches and which to away matches. The team, led by coach Piotr Baron, after strengthening the squad with Norick Bloedorn replacing Jan Kvech, is still considered one of the main favorites to defend the championship title in the PGE Ekstraliga. The presentation of the suits, although initially controversial, ultimately fits into building the team's identity based on respect for its own past.

Mentioned People

  • Per Jonsson — Swedish speedway legend, star of Apator Toruń from 1991–1994. His career was ended by an accident in Bydgoszcz, as a result of which he uses a wheelchair. The new kevlars of Pres Toruń are inspired by
  • Piotr Baron — Coach of the Polish champions, the Pres Grupa Deweloperska Toruń team, which is preparing to defend its title in the 2026 season.
  • Jan Kvech — Czechoslovak speedway rider who left Pres Toruń after the 2025 season.
  • Norick Bloedorn — German speedway rider, new member of the Pres Toruń squad for the 2026 season, replaced Jan Kvech.