Speedway: How Mario Häusl (20) plans to overcome his physical problems

Following his triumph at the Speedway of Nations 2 and winning the ‘Golden Band’ in Pardubice at the end of the 2025 season, Mario Häusl had gone into the 2026 season with high expectations. This was followed by his move into the British professional league, with his career set to continue its rapid ascent. What followed, however, was a year marked by sobering moments and a spell on the sidelines due to injury, after which the Bavarian had to find his feet again.

“It was a difficult, complicated and gruelling year, which, on the whole, was marked by many setbacks,” Häusl summed up in an interview with SPEEDWEEK.com. “Nevertheless, there were races time and again where things went really well and the results, as well as the feel on the bike, were spot on. Unfortunately, there were also races that didn’t go as hoped.”

The Bavarian, who recently turned 20, identified several reasons for the difficult season. “I had to change my team during the year because things weren’t working out with a new mechanic who’d joined,” he explained. “On top of that, a back injury led to myocarditis, and above all, the issue with my vertebrae restricted my movement. I’ve seen lots of sports orthopaedic specialists about this, who’ve recommended various exercises, but that hasn’t really brought about any improvement yet, and I’ll have to keep working on it over the winter.”

Wittstock was a reflection of the season

Following the enforced break and the team reshuffle, Häusl got back on track and was on course for a medal in his final race, the final of the Speedway U21 German Championship in Wittstock. “Before the race, it was clear that it would be a tight battle for the top four places; my personal goal was to finish first or second. With the broken chain in the final heat, it was a right pain and, in a way, a reflection of the whole year,” said Häusl, who lost out on the silver medal due to the breakdown. Even though the season ended without a medal, the 20-year-old wants to build on the results from the end of the 2026 season. “Actually, I have to say things went quite well again, for example at the Gold Helm race in Pardubice and the U21 German Championships. I want to maintain that level and carry it over into the next season.”

As a first step towards the 2027 season, Häusl has extended his contract with the Trans MF Devils from Landshut in the Polish league, and further commitments are set to follow. “I’ve received an offer from England, which I’m currently discussing. And I want to see whether Sweden is a viable option for me, or whether something comes up in Denmark.”