2013 Speedway Grand Prix


The 2013 Speedway Grand Prix season was the 19th season of the Speedway Grand Prix era, and decided the 68th FIM Speedway World Championship. It was the thirteenth series under the promotion of Benfield Sports International, an IMG company.
The British rider Tai Woffinden became world champion, making him the first British rider to win the gold medal since Mark Loram in the 2000 Speedway Grand Prix. Jarosław Hampel won his third world championship medal, while Danish rider Niels Kristian Iversen won his first medal finishing third in the series.

Qualification

For the 2013 season there were 15 permanent riders, joined at each Grand Prix by one wild card and two track reserves.
Since Jason Crump decided to retire from the series, the top eight riders – except Crump, who was replaced by ninth-placed Andreas Jonsson – from the 2012 championship qualified. Those riders were joined by three riders who qualified via the Grand Prix Challenge.
The final four riders were nominated by series promoters, Benfield Sports International, following the completion of the 2012 season.

Qualified riders

#Riders2012 placeGP Ch placeAppearancePrevious appearances in series
1 Chris Holder14th2010–2012
2 Nicki Pedersen213th2000, 2001–2012
3 Greg Hancock319th1995–2012
4 Tomasz Gollob418th1995, 1996, 1997–2012
5 Emil Sayfutdinov55th2009–2012
6 Antonio Lindbäck7F6th2004, 2005–2007, 2009–2010, 2011–2012
7 Fredrik Lindgren86th2004, 2006–2007, 2008–2012
8 Andreas Jonsson912th2001, 2002–2012
9 Martin Vaculík1181st2012
10 Jarosław Hampel148th2000–2002, 2004–2007, 2008–2009, 2010–2012
11 Krzysztof Kasprzak1812nd2004–2007, 2008, 2012
12 Matej Žagar23rd2003–2005, 2006–2007, 2008–2009, 2011
13 Niels Kristian Iversen33rd2004–2005, 2006, 2008, 2009–2010
14 Tai Woffinden2nd2010, 2011
15 Darcy Ward1st2011

Qualified substitutes

The following riders qualified as substitutes due to their results in the Grand Prix Challenge.
#Riders2012 placeGP Ch place
19 Aleš Dryml, Jr.4
20 Leon Madsen5
21 Troy Batchelor6
22 Hans N. Andersen107
23 Peter Ljung159

Crump spot controversy

Before the Toruń event in 2012, former three-times World Champion, Jason Crump announced his retirement at the end of the 2012 season.
According to the SGP Regulation, Crump's spot for the 2013 season – as sixth place in 2012 – should be taken by the first Qualified Substitute, Aleš Dryml, Jr.. However, BSI has announced that Crump's spot would be awarded to Andreas Jonsson, the ninth-place finisher in the 2012 standings, per FIM regulations.

Calendar

The 2013 season will consist of 12 events, just like the 2012 Speedway Grand Prix.

Classification