Lambert wins first Łódź Speedway GP, Dudek second; Zmarzlik's 14-final streak snapped
Robert Lambert took victory at the first-ever Speedway Grand Prix round in Łódź, while series leader Bartosz Zmarzlik failed to reach the final for the first time in 14 rounds, finishing sixth.
Historic first GP in Łódź
The Moto Arena Łódź hosted a Speedway Grand Prix round for the first time on Saturday, becoming the ninth Polish venue and the 45th overall in the series' history since 1995. The track, described as technical and "non-Polish" in style, is similar in length to Toruń but with a different geometry that promised close racing. Heavy watering before the meeting created a surface that differed significantly from the one used in Friday's SGP2 event, catching out several riders. The evening delivered on its promise of spectacle, with multiple passes and a dramatic shake-up in the championship fight.
Lambert takes victory
Robert Lambert secured the win with 20 championship points, topping the podium ahead of Patryk Dudek (18 points) and Brady Kurtz (16 points). Lambert scored 13 points in the main phase, then won his semi-final and the final to claim his first GP victory of the season. Dudek was the standout performer of the regulation heats, winning four of his five rides and finishing the main phase as top scorer with 15 points. The Pole could not repeat that dominance in the final, settling for second. Kurtz completed the podium, while Michael Jepsen Jensen (14 points) and Jan Kvech (12 points) rounded out the top five.
- Robert Lambert
- 20 pts
- Patryk Dudek
- 18 pts
- Brady Kurtz
- 16 pts
- Michael Jepsen Jensen
- 14 pts
- Jan Kvech
- 12 pts
Zmarzlik's streak ends at 14
Bartosz Zmarzlik, the six-time world champion and defending title holder, endured a difficult evening. He scored only 1 point in his opening heat and failed to score in his second, leaving him on 1 point after two rides while Kurtz had 3. A bike change for the third series brought 2 points, but he remained off the pace. In the fourth heat, Zmarzlik finally showed his old form, holding off Max Fricke in a tight battle to win and keep his hopes alive. He finished the main phase with 8 points, enough only for the last-chance race. There, Jensen beat him to the line, ending Zmarzlik's run of 14 consecutive Grand Prix final appearances. He was classified sixth overall.
- Zmarzlik scores 1 point, struggles with speed.
- Zmarzlik finishes last, 0 points; Kurtz takes lead in head-to-head.
- Zmarzlik changes bike, scores 2 points; Kurtz wins heat.
- Zmarzlik holds off Fricke to win, reviving hopes.
- Zmarzlik scores 2 points, finishes main phase with 8; Dudek top scorer.
- Jensen beats Zmarzlik; Zmarzlik misses final for first time in 14 rounds.
- Lambert wins, Dudek second, Kurtz third.
Other Polish riders
Five Poles lined up in Łódź. Kacper Woryna finished eighth with 9 points, while Piotr Pawlicki, returning to the GP series after 3,199 days, placed eleventh with 6 points. Dominik Kubera struggled and ended fourteenth with 3 points. Pawlicki improved in the second half of the meeting, winning one heat, but could not break into the semi-finals.
Championship picture and next round
Kurtz's third place, combined with Zmarzlik's sixth, moved the Australian to the top of the overall standings. Zmarzlik had led the classification before Łódź. The series continues on 8 August in Riga, Latvia, where riders will have an immediate chance to respond.
