JANOWSKI: LESSONS LEARNED FROM SGP 2021

Polish star Maciej Janowski admits he has learned “plenty of lessons” from a mixed 2021 FIM Speedway Grand Prix season.

The Wroclaw hero finished his World Championship campaign in strong style, racing to second spot at eWinner Torun SGP round 10 on Friday, October 1, before taking third place in round 11 on Saturday, October 2.

This sealed him a return to Poland’s national side for the Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations Final this weekend. He joins double world champion Bartosz Zmarzlik and World Under-21 champion Jakub Miskowiak in Manchester as they take on Great Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Australia, Latvia and France on Saturday and Sunday.

Janowski started his season in breathtaking style. He won the opening SGP event in Prague on July 16 before finishing second at round two of the double-header on July 17 and taking the runner-up spot at round three in Wroclaw on July 30. But he reached just two semi-finals in the following six rounds as his title challenge faltered.

Magic still stormed back in Torun to snatch fourth place overall, and insists he will learn from his SGP 2021 battles as he builds for 2022.

He said: “I think we know what happened – there are plenty of lessons for us. Of course we would love to turn time back, but everything happens for a reason and I am happy with what we have right now.

“I am happy with my start. Maybe we made some mistakes in the middle of the season, but that doesn’t matter right now.

“It was a very good end to the season. I am happy with that. I will always want to have a little bit more, but it is how it is. I am happy with how we finished.”

Janowski teamed up with GB hero Tai Woffinden to win the PGE Ekstraliga title with Wroclaw and Sweden’s Bauhaus Elitserien crown with Dackarna. But the pair will be rivals in Manchester this weekend.

This comes after they had an epic duel in the eWinner Torun SGP round-10 final, which saw Janowski overhaul Woffinden for second place.

“That was a good battle,” he said. “We have raced together so many times. My bike was great in that final. I got very good speed on the outside. I was looking to pass Tai on the outside, but then he closed the door and I changed my line. It was a good, clean race.”