MATEUSZ PUKA: Before the last two Grand Prix tournaments you are 10 points behind Bartosz Zmarzlik. That’s a lot?
TAI WOFFINDEN (3rd overall GP): There is as much as there is. For me, the most important thing is that I still have a chance for gold and I will fight hard for it. I am convinced that these will be difficult days for me, but this is what this sport is like. I am happy with this challenge and I am looking forward to the starts.
What did you feel when, during the last round of GP in Prague, he overtook Bartosz Zmarzlik after an amazing action?
It was a really great race. After the semi-finals, I made some changes to the bike to be even faster. Unfortunately, the changes went in the wrong direction, and during the run I had problems to stay at the curb, because my engine was too weak. I had to look for other solutions and that’s why the final was the only race in which I ran a bit wider that day. I made a simple mistake, and if you’re followed by someone like Bartek, there’s no room for any mistakes. Anyway, from the very first lap I knew perfectly well that I would lose this race. I was consoled that the podium was not such a bad result.
In Poland, however, this advance was interpreted a bit differently, because it was recognized that Zmarzlik had worked a miracle by passing you.
Every time I race with Bartek, wherever he is, we make a really cool show. I like to ride with him because the fight is always to the end. We love speedway for that.
Many people must have been surprised that you were so smiling right after you lost the final to Bartek in Prague. I can’t believe you didn’t feel angry after such an action.
I was laughing at myself because I knew I had made a big mistake with the engine setup and during the race I had quite a lot of time to come to terms with the thought that I was going to lose. We are racing together with Bartek a lot, but those who think that there is some kind of fierce competition between us are wrong. And we have a great relationship, we rode for the same team in Sweden and we hope to have many more matches in the future. We are colleagues, not enemies.
Are you afraid of Zmarzlik’s form? He has practically not lost the most important races recently.
He drives really great, but we must not forget that the Grand Prix also includes 14 other riders and everyone on Friday and Saturday will have the same goal, which is victory. Some people may have said that if not for Zmarzlik, I would have had five championship titles, but please note how strong are, for example, Emil Sajfutdinow, Artiom Łaguta or Fredrik Lindgren. We cannot reduce the World Cup to a fight between two fighters.
Before the 2019 season, you shocked with an interview in which you said that you are the best player in the world. Do you regret these words after two years?
Why would I regret calling myself the best player in the world? If I hadn’t thought I was the best, I would never have achieved this much. In professional sport, this attitude is perfectly normal. Of course, I realize that the line between self-confidence and arrogance is very thin.
The Lord does not exceed it?
I get up in the morning and I think I’m the best because that’s my motivation. It gives me the strength to present myself at a high level, even when I’m not having a good day. Every world champion has exactly the same and this applies not only to speedway, but also to motocross, football and tennis. I’m sure Cristiano Ronaldo tells himself this every day too. Most likely, 80 percent of people will agree with him and 20 will say they are not.
In Poland, however, not everyone understands it, because here such statements are treated as a sign of arrogance.
I grew up in Australia, but nationality doesn’t matter in my opinion. If we asked the new Polish UFC champion if he was the best in the world, he would also agree with this thesis without hesitation. Some people don’t understand that, so they’ll never be champions. I haven’t won a gold medal recently, but I still believe that I am the best.
Does it actually help?
Let me give you an example: this year I broke a bone in my foot during the match against Motor, and in Rybnik, as it turned out later, I was riding with a broken metacarpal bone, after which I had problems with starting. However, my faith in my abilities meant that I finished second in both rounds in Prague. In general, injuries still haunt me, and yet I still count in the fight for medals. If it weren’t for my injuries, I’d be in a different place. Riding speedway with a broken bone doesn’t make it any easier. This year, due to injuries, I also do not feel 100 percent myself. However, this is just a nice excuse.
Still dreaming of surpassing Tony Rickardsson in the number of gold medals?
I am a three-time world champion, and many players have never even dreamed of such a success. To find my motivation, I need a goal other than just another gold medal or being the best Briton. I made up my mind that I wanted to be the best player in the history of this discipline. So I want to win seven titles and beat Tony Rickardsson and Ivan Mauger.
Grand Prix general classification after 6 out of 8 tournaments:
[1.] BARTOSZ ZMARZLIK 99; [2.] Fredrik Lindgren (Sweden) 92; [3.] Tai Woffinden (Great Britain) 89; [4. Maciej Janowski] (Poland) 71; [5.] Leon Madsen (Denmark) 70; [6.] Jason Doyle (Australia) 69; [7.] Martin Vaculik (Slovakia) 63; [8.] Artiom Laguta (Russia) 60; [9.] Emil Sajfutdinow (Russia) 60; [10.] Max Fricke (Australia) 40; [11.] Matej Žagar (Slovenia) 37; [12.] Niels-Kristian Iversen (Denmark) 30; [13. Patryk Dudek] (Poland) 29; [14.] Mikkel Michelsen (Denmark) 27; [15. Gleb Czugunow] (Poland) 16; [16.] Antonio Lindbäck (Sweden) 12; [17.] Anders Thomsen (Dania) 10; [18.] Eduard Krčmař 1; [19.] Vaclav Milik (both Czech Republic) 1
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