Speedway GP Challenge: High-speed crash costs Kai Huckenbeck his chance

From a German perspective, the evening at the Challenge in Terenzano ended with the certainty that Kai Huckenbeck’s return to the 2027 Grand Prix was a distinct possibility – but a crash shattered his dream. In the three heats leading up to it, the rider from Werl had improved with each race and, with six points, was right in the thick of the battle for qualification. In the 14th race, Huckenbeck came off the starting line in second place and overtook Kacper Woryna at the start of the second lap; however, Woryna countered immediately and retook the lead at the exit of the starting bend. As they entered the final corner, Woryna moved inwards and cut across Huckenbeck’s line, causing the 33-year-old to crash into the track barrier at top speed and slide under the air fences.

The evening’s racing was over for Kai, as he was deemed to be at fault for the accident, although there were also arguments that would have supported Woryna’s disqualification: Last year, Zach Wajtknecht was disqualified following a similar manoeuvre after he had immediately changed lanes at the Long Track World Championships in Scheeßel, leaving the oncoming Martin Smolinski with no room to manoeuvre and resulting in a similar crash. However, as Huckenbeck was the one who crashed and the Pole was setting the racing line, the decision to disqualify the German is also justifiable.

Whilst a return to the Grand Prix is now off the cards for Huckenbeck, Robert Lambert (1st) and Kacper Woryna (3rd) secured their places for the coming season. Even before the final race, Australian Rohan Tungate had already secured his qualification with three race wins and a second-place finish, meaning the 36-year-old could afford to finish last. The final qualifying spot was claimed by Swedish champion Kim Nilsson following a strong comeback; he had to win and managed to beat Paco Castagna.

Kai Huckenbeck vor Robert Lambert

Foto: jarek pabijan

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In fifth and sixth place – the first substitutes should Lambert and/or Woryna qualify for 2027 via this year’s Grand Prix – were two further current GP riders, Andzejs Lebedevs and Michel Jepsen Jensen, followed by Frederik Jakobsen and the evergreen Chris Harris. Currently, Lambert, Woryna and Jepsen Jensen are in the top seven of the World Championship, which means they automatically retain their places in the series. If this does not change, Lebedevs, Jakobsen and Harris would move up in that order.

Results of the Speedway GP Challenge in Terenzano, Italy:

Vier GP-Fahrer 2027 stehen fest (v.l.): Tungate, Lambert, Woryna, Nilsson

Foto: jarek pabijan