LINDGREN’S THIRD SWEDISH TITLE

Speedway GP star Fredrik Lindgren stormed to his third Swedish Championship crown as runner-up Jacob Thorssell booked his place in the FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla on July 15.

Lindgren and Thorssell tied on 14 points at the top of the score chart to earn automatic qualification for the final, along with 2022 Swedish champion and FIM Speedway of Nations hero Oliver Berntzon, who advanced on 11.

Finnish international Timo Lahti, who rides on a Swedish licence, also scored 11 and won the semi-final to take the last spot in the final showdown.

With the winner guaranteed a return ticket to Malilla for the FIM Swedish Speedway GP showdown, the stakes were high in the final. But it was Lindgren – the only finalist already guaranteed a place in Sweden’s biggest speedway event – who got the verdict, adding to his 2018 and 2021 national titles.

With 2019 and 2020 Swedish Champion Thorssell taking the all-important second place, he earns the FIM Swedish Speedway GP wild card as the highest-placed non-SGP rider, with Lahti finishing third and Berntzon fourth.

Speedway GP regular Kim Nilsson took second place in the semi-final after qualifying on nine. Despite missing out on the final, last year’s FIM GP Challenge winner joins Lindgren and Thorssell in Malilla next month.

Daniel Henderson scored 11 points over his five rides, before finishing third in the semi-final, with KGHM FIM SGP2 of Poland finalist Casper Henriksson placed fourth in the semi after scoring eight in the heats.

Long-time former Speedway GP rider Antonio Lindback – the only rider to defeat Lindgren on the night – fell short of the semis on seven points, while Jonathan Ejnermark, Joel Andersson and Ludvig Lindgren all missed out on six.

SWEDISH FINAL HEAT SCORES: 1 Fredrik Lindgren 14, 2 Jacob Thorssell 14, 3 Oliver Berntzon 11, 4 Timo Lahti 11, 5 Daniel Henderson 11, 6 Kim Nilsson 9, 7 Casper Henriksson 8, 8 Antonio Lindback 7, 9 Filip Hjelmland 6, 10 Jonathan Ejnermark 6, 11 Joel Andersson 6, 12 Ludvig Lindgren 6, 13 Victor Palovaara 5, 14 Anton Karlsson 3, 15 Jonatan Grahn 2, 16 Ludvig Selvin 1.

SEMI-FINAL: Lahti, Nilsson, Henderson, Henriksson.

FINAL: Lindgren, Thorssell, Lahti, Berntzon.