LEICESTER captain Max Fricke has secured his place in the Grand Prix series for 2025.
Fricke finished fourth in Friday’s GP Challenge meeting at Czech Republic venue Pardubice, taking the final qualifying spot in a dramatic end to the meeting.
Having scored eight points from his first four rides in an event which was run in constant rain, Fricke needed a win from Heat 20 to progress.
There was drama in the first running as leader Kai Huckenbeck crashed with German compatriot Kevin Wolbert, which meant Fricke had another chance in the re-run, and this time he took it with a race win despite a strong attack from Wolbert.
It means Fricke is back in the GP series full time in 2025 after initially losing his place this year, although he did complete the bulk of the rounds after fellow countryman Jason Doyle was injured.
He said: “These meetings are so stressful! It’s the last meeting of the season for me on top of all that.
“But it’s nice to know we are back in Speedway GP for next year. That’s a bit of a pressure release and now I can focus on 2025.
“Everyone is here to race, and I am here to race too. I respect that and it’s good to know that I have worked for it all the way.”
The other qualifying places from Pardubice went to Brady Kurtz, one day on from leading Belle Vue to the league title against the Watling JCB Lions, along with Anders Thomsen and Dominik Kubera.
Photo credit: JAREK PABIJAN
