FIM SPEEDWAY GP of Great Britain organisers say they are “on track” to deliver a much-improved racing surface for this year’s edition after troublesome conditions plagued the 2022 running.
Britain’s Dan Bewley defied a bumpy track at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff to become the first home winner since Chris Harris 15 years earlier.
With Bewley aiming for a second title along with fellow Brits, Tai Woffinden and Robert Lambert on Saturday, September 2, officials have stated they are doing “everything possible” to ensure a fantastic night of racing in south Wales.
Warner Bros. Discovery Sports and circuit builder Speed Sport say they are determined to replicate the success achieved at the Warsaw GP back on May 13 and have taken serious steps to do so – including analysing shale at a laboratory in Llanelli.
It takes 3,500 tonnes of shale, seven days and a cumulative 400 hours of labour by the team to build the circuit, with the material transported to the Principality Stadium in 140 lorry loads.
Two wheel-based loaders, two tracked excavators, one grader, two vibrating compactors, two tractors, two vibrating plates, one forklift and an experienced labour crew all work together within the confines of the arena during track construction.
Speed Sport’s Ole Olsen, a former three-time FIM Speedway world champion and a vastly-experienced track builder, is leading the construction of the circuit – a role he has fulfilled since Speedway GP first came to Cardiff in 2001, as well as at other SGP venues across the world.
He said: “My team at Speed Sport and I know how much the FIM British Speedway GP means to riders, fans and everyone associated with the sport, and we are determined to deliver a great racetrack for the 2023 event.
“We will be working to build a wider track and adding some material in 2023 to offer more passing opportunities, as well as constructing the track in layers and then packing them to ensure the racing surface remains stable.
“We will make use of the data gained from the laboratory tests and as well as Speed Sport’s over 20 years of experience in building speedway tracks in some of the world’s best stadiums to ensure exciting racing for fans in Cardiff, plus viewers watching around the world.”
Tickets for the FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain remain on sale, with prices starting at £20 and the action set to begin at 5pm on Saturday, September 2.
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