Torun racer Robert Lambert is determined to deliver a champagne finish to 2025, starting in the PGE Ekstraliga play-off final in Lublin on Sunday.
Lambert skippers Great Britain into FIM Speedway of Nations Semi-Final 1 in Torun on Tuesday, where the Lions face Sweden, Germany, Latvia, Italy, Slovenia and Norway, with the top three progressing to the Final next Saturday.
But first, the Norfolk racer heads to his old club Lublin in Torun colours, bidding to defend a 54-36 lead from last Sunday’s play-off final first leg.
While Lublin has a power-packed side, featuring six-time Speedway GP world champion Bartosz Zmarzlik, Fredrik Lindgren, Dominik Kubera, Mateusz Cierniak and Wiktor Przyjemski, Lambert joins forces with Patryk Dudek, Emil Sayfutdinov, Mikkel Michelsen and Jan Kvech.
The double FIM SON world champion lives in Torun and knows how much it would mean for the team to deny Lublin a fourth straight gold medal and earn their first PGE Ekstraliga championship since 2008. He said: “They have been so dominant for the last few years, and they are a hard team to beat. We have a great lead going into the final leg and that’s important for us in the team. It gives us a bit of leeway and space.
“It’s going to be tough. They are going to be fired up and they don’t want to lose their streak. It would be amazing if I could be part of making Torun champions again after such a long period of time. I know the club wants it dearly and the fans as well. We will put a lot of passion and effort into making that a reality.
“I have just got the gold in Sweden with Vastervik and there are another two gold medals up for grabs in the next week. I am looking forward to it and I can’t wait to see what unfolds.”
Lambert is ready for a raucous atmosphere in Lublin after helping them climb from the Polish National League – then the Second Division – all the way into the PGE Ekstraliga.
“It’s something I am used to,” he said. “I have great memories of that. Then I had the home fans on my side, but now they will be against us this time around. The atmosphere will be electric, though.
“Torun last Sunday was amazing. We had a full stadium and 14,000 spectators. It was incredible.”
Lambert hopes to end 2025 on a high in the PGE Ekstraliga and FIM SON after a mixed Speedway GP season, which saw him miss out on reaching a final, but still finish seventh in the standings to secure his spot for 2026.
“It has been a tough one in the GPs this year,” he said. “It wasn’t the result I wanted, but I am happy that I secured my spot for next year on my own merit. That is so important for me.
“If we get some gold at the end of the year, it’s going to make all the hard work that has been put in during this year definitely worthwhile. It would be great to take into the winter. A little bit of confidence at the back end of the season is always great.”