LUGUTA RIDES FOR PETERBOROUGH PANTHERS

Former Speedway GP World Champion Artem Laguta is back in Britain’s Sports Insure Premiership after making the switch to Peterborough for the rest of the 2023 season.

Laguta was recently replaced in the King’s Lynn side by Speedway GP rider Robert Lambert, who will see out the year with his boyhood club.

Panthers have been searching for a true number one all season following the early departure of triple World Champion Nicki Pedersen, who was injured in his opening heat for the club.

Laguta comes into the team in place of Polish rider Patryk Wojdylo after Peterborough confirmed he was “no longer available”, despite a promising start to his UK career.

It’s set to be Panthers’ last season in the sport unless they can find a new home, with the East of England Showground set to close for racing in October.

But Panthers are determined to go out with a bang and 2021 Speedway GP gold medallist Laguta makes his Peterborough debut in their Knockout Cup semi-final clash at home to Ipswich on Monday.

Team manager Rob Lyon said: “We had a very short period of time to sort something out, and there aren’t a great many riders who want to come in at this late stage.

“But Artem very much does and he’s excited to be with us and to finish off the season in the UK. He has enjoyed racing in the UK so it’s a move that suits both parties.”

Lyon is gutted he couldn’t have started 2023 with his current side, which also features former Speedway GP stars Chris Harris and Niels-Kristian Iversen, plus Vadim Tarasenko, Ben Cook, Benjamin Basso and rising star Jordan Jenkins.

He added: “It’s ironic that this gives us the sort of line-up that at the start of the season you’d say if it didn’t get in the play-offs, you’d eat your hat!

“Now it will probably end up as one of the strongest teams in the league and it will end up near the bottom of the league. But we’ve still got the KO Cup to race for, as well as the remaining league matches, and it gives us the chance to have a good send-off.”