The 2026 Speedway Grand Prix (SGP) season begins on May 2 in Landshut, Germany. It will be the 32nd edition of the series, which has crowned the individual world champion in speedway since 1995.
Speedway Grand Prix is the sport’s official world championship, bringing together the best riders from around the world across multiple rounds.
Each race features four riders competing over four laps on an oval dirt track, making it one of the most intense and fast-paced forms of motorcycle racing.
Bartosz Zmarzlik chasing history
All eyes will be on Bartosz Zmarzlik, who is chasing a record-breaking seventh world title.
The Polish star has dominated recent years, winning six titles in the last seven seasons. The only rider to stop him during that run was Artem Laguta in 2021.
Last season was incredibly close. Zmarzlik beat Brady Kurtz by just one point, with the championship decided in the final race of the year.
If he wins again in 2026, Zmarzlik will become the most successful rider in speedway history, moving ahead of Ivan Mauger and Tony Rickardsson, who each have six titles.
How Speedway Grand Prix works (simple explanation)
The 2026 season includes 10 rounds, held from May to September.
Each event has 23 races:
20 regular heats (each rider races 5 times)
Top 2 riders advance directly to the final
Riders placed 3rd to 10th go to semifinals
Winners of semifinals complete the final lineup
Points system
Riders earn championship points based on their final position in each round:
1st place – 20 points
2nd – 18
3rd – 16
4th – 14
5th–16th – from 12 down to 1 point
The rider with the most points after all rounds becomes world champion.
Who is racing in 2026?
The series features:
15 permanent riders
1 wild card per round (selected by the event organizer)
2 track reserves
One of the biggest talking points this season is Tai Woffinden.
The three-time world champion was originally set to compete after receiving a wild card, but he chose to step away from the Speedway Grand Prix series. This decision comes as he continues his return to racing after a long injury break — although he is back competing in league speedway.
His place in the championship has been taken by Nazar Parnitsky, the 2025 SGP2 (Under-21 World Championship) winner, giving the young Ukrainian rider a major opportunity at the top level.
SGP 2026 riders and title odds
(Decimal / UK / US format)
Bartosz Zmarzlik (POL) – 2.10 / 11/10 / +110
Brady Kurtz (AUS) – 3.20 / 11/5 / +220
Jack Holder (AUS) – 9.50 / 17/2 / +850
Michael Jepsen Jensen (DEN) – 13.50 / 25/2 / +1250
Daniel Bewley (GBR) – 17.50 / 33/2 / +1650
Robert Lambert (GBR) – 20.00 / 19/1 / +1900
Leon Madsen (DEN) – 25.00 / 24/1 / +2400
Patryk Dudek (POL) – 30.00 / 29/1 / +2900
Fredrik Lindgren (SWE) – 30.00 / 29/1 / +2900
Max Fricke (AUS) – 50.00 / 49/1 / +4900
Jason Doyle (AUS) – 60.00 / 59/1 / +5900
Andzejs Lebedevs (LAT) – 75.00 / 74/1 / +7400
Dominik Kubera (POL) – 125.00 / 124/1 / +12400
Kacper Woryna (POL) – 125.00 / 124/1 / +12400
Nazar Parnitsky (UKR) – 175.00 / 174/1 / +17400
Zmarzlik starts as the clear favorite, but after last season’s one-point finish, the title race is wide open.
2026 Speedway Grand Prix schedule
May 2 – Landshut (Germany), Round 1
May 23 – Prague (Czech Republic), Round 2
June 5 – Manchester (Great Britain), Round 3
June 6 – Manchester (Great Britain), Round 4
June 20 – Wrocław (Poland), Round 5
July 11 – Målilla (Sweden), Round 6
August 1 – Łódź (Poland), Round 7
August 8 – Riga (Latvia), Round 8
September 12 – Vojens (Denmark), Round 9
September 26 – Toruń (Poland), Round 10
Where to watch and full rules
Full rules:
👉 https://fimspeedway.com/en/sgp/rules
Broadcasts and streaming availability:
👉 https://fimspeedway.com/where-to-watch
Final thoughts
The 2026 Speedway Grand Prix season combines everything fans want: a dominant champion chasing history, a new generation stepping in, and a calendar full of iconic venues.
And if last season proved anything, it’s this — in Speedway Grand Prix, even one point can decide the world title.