Robert Lambert has done the hard part. The Great Britain rider goes into the final round in Torun top of the Speedway GP standings on 142 points, one ahead of Bartosz Zmarzlik and three clear of Brady Kurtz. That is a fine position to be in, but let’s not pretend it is comfortable. In speedway, one point is a whisper, not a cushion.
So the world title now comes down to Saturday at the DEWALT FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Torun, with the top three already guaranteed medals but still separated by just three points. That makes this a proper finale, not a polite lap of honour. Lambert has the lead, Zmarzlik is hunting a seventh world title and a fifth straight title, and Kurtz is still chasing a first championship after last season’s runner-up finish. There is no room for drift here.
Lambert has earned the right to believe
The key thing about Lambert’s position is that it is not a fluke built on one lucky night. He moved to the top after winning the Deluxe Homeart FIM Speedway GP of Denmark – Vojens on September 12, and he arrives in Torun with genuine momentum. This is also his home city track, which matters. He has settled in Torun, lives there with his wife Julia, and knows exactly what is coming when the gate drops.
That does not mean the job is simple. Lambert was involved in a fall during Torun’s PGE Ekstraliga play-off semi-final decider against Lublin on September 13, although he insisted there is nothing serious to worry about. He said he had stretched shoulder ligaments, but after constant physio he felt about 95 percent ready last Sunday, and expected to be 100 percent after another week. That is about as reassuring as a rider can sound without actually riding the race for you.
And Lambert is not talking like a man rattled by the stakes. He says he has already ticked off his goal of getting a medal of some kind, and that he has time on his side. He also made the sensible point that speedway leaves room for chaos: he is in a great position, but anything can happen. That is not bravado. That is realism from a rider who understands that Saturday is about control, composure and not getting dragged into other people’s panic.
Zmarzlik is the threat, Kurtz is the spoiler
The problem for Lambert is that Zmarzlik rarely hands anything over without a fight. One point behind heading into the finale, the Polish star is still very much in striking distance, and his record tells you why nobody should get carried away too early. Kurtz, meanwhile, is three points off the top and still absolutely live if the night turns messy. This is why the title race feels so tight: one mistake, one bad heat, one mechanical issue, and the whole order can flip.
Lambert’s comments about the track are also revealing. He called Polish league tracks an open playing field when the GP comes to town because they are always different from league conditions. In other words: the familiarity of Torun does not make it easy, it just makes the variables more interesting. He will need to treat the night almost like an away rider would, even if the crowd is with him.
That is what makes this such a compelling final round. Lambert is not just defending a lead; he is defending the idea that he belongs at the very top of this championship race. He has the points, the home-track setting and the belief. Zmarzlik has the pedigree. Kurtz has the freedom of the outsider. Saturday will decide which of those matters most.
Lambert said he is looking forward to whatever comes and will just go for the ride. That sounds relaxed, but make no mistake: this is the biggest ride of his career. He has put himself in position. Now he has to finish the story.
