VOL. 50 ISSUE 16 APRIL 23, 2013
P71
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN HIPKISS
R
ussian racer Emil Sayfutdinov believes his World Championship
dreams are back on track after winning his first Grand Prix for three and a half
years in Bydgoszcz on Saturday night.
Sayfutdinov, who lives in the city,
topped the Motorsportwash.com European FIM Speedway Grand Prix podium
after overhauling Slovenian hotshot Matej
Zagar to win the final, earn 15 points and
move up to the sixth spot in the overall
standings with 21 points after two rounds.
Polish legend Tomasz Gollob, who
leads the World Championship with 31
points, was third in his hometown with a
score of 16.
Tai Woffinden, meanwhile, did Great
Britain proud by finishing fourth and making his maiden appearance in a Grand
Prix final. He is fourth in the standings on
23 points – tied with Poland's Jaroslaw
Hampel in third.
Sayfutdinov's last Grand Prix victory
came at the FIM Slovenian GP in Krsko on
September 12, 2009. He also triumphed
in Prague and Gothenburg on his way to
third in the World Championship that year.
But the Salavat-born man's 2010 campaign was wrecked by injury and he only
really started to get back to his best midway through 2012. With all that behind
him, Sayfutdinov is hopeful he can stay on
the rostrum and reassert his authority on
the World Championship race.
"Of course it's good to be back in first
place," Sayfutdinov said. "I think I need to
keep this form and it will be good for me.
I had problems after 2009, but now I'm
back. I'm feeling good and I want to keep
it like this – being a Grand Prix winner and
getting good points. Maybe there will be
a chance for the championship? Maybe
