Three-time Danish Champion Anders Thomsen says he feared his FIM Speedway Grand Prix days were behind him after storming to a sensational victory at the 2026 BST FIM Speedway GP of Sweden, Malilla, on Saturday, July 11.
Starting from gate four, Thomsen faced the daunting challenge of the SpeedwayGP World Championship’s top three on his inside in his first SpeedwayGP final since winning the FIM SpeedwayGP of Poland, Gorzow, on June 25, 2022.
But with Great Britain star Robert Lambert, Polish icon Bartosz Zmarzlik, and Aussie ace Brady Kurtz battling on the inside line going into bend one, Thomsen pulled away for a popular victory as Malilla’s Skrotfrag Arena hosted its 20th Speedway GP event.
The triple Danish champion enjoyed the podium celebrations before getting back on his bike to take his trademark victory laps in his underwear, a cheeky celebration last seen at Gorzow’s Edward Jancarz Stadium four years earlier.
Thomsen’s victory puts him 10th in the SpeedwayGP World Championship on 50 points, just five short of injured Aussie racer Jack Holder, who occupies the seventh and final automatic qualification place for 2027 on 55.
If SpeedwayGP first substitute rider Thomsen, who was covering for injured Great Britain star Dan Bewley in Malilla, races the final four rounds of this year, he stands every chance of earning a spot in next season’s series.
That would be an incredible outcome for a rider who feared his SpeedwayGP career was over when he lost his spot in the series last year. He said, “I am glad that I am not finished yet in the GP; I thought it was over. I just went into the meeting without pressure. I just said to the boys, ‘Let’s go have some fun, and let’s see what happens.’
“Bartek and Robert were fighting on the inside gates in the final. Bartek was close to Robert, and I had a clear race on the outside in the dirt. Luckily, I got a good setup that was working in the dirt. It was great to be back in the final. When you get into the final, anything can happen.”
Zmarzlik still leads the 2026 Championship with 98 points, with Kurtz close behind with 93 points. Lambert is fourth with 89.CN
2026 FIM SpeedwayGP Round 6 Results
OVERALL (Top 5)
- Anders Thomsen
- Robert Lambert
- Bartosz Zmarzlik
- Brady Kurtz
- Andzejs Lebedevs
