Brady Kurtz Takes Manchester Victory And Seizes Speedway GP World Championship Lead

Aussie racer Brady Kurtz was elated to finally break through for a Manchester victory, surging to the top of the Speedway GP World Championship standings after a dramatic win in the ATPI FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain – Manchester R4 at the National Speedway Stadium on Saturday night.

Kurtz produced one of the rides of the season in the final, charging from last to first to defeat Danish star Michael Jepsen Jensen in second and reigning world champion Bartosz Zmarzlik in third, after a late-race battle between the leading pair opened the door for the Australian to strike.

The Belle Vue Aces skipper timed his move perfectly, capitalising on the fight at the front between Zmarzlik and Jepsen Jensen before slicing through on the third lap to secure a breakthrough win at his British home track.

It capped an outstanding weekend in Manchester for Australian speedway, coming less than 24 hours after Max Fricke led an all-Aussie podium in Friday’s round three ahead of Kurtz in second and Jack Holder in third.

Across both nights, Kurtz collected 39 points from a possible 44, moving him to 65 points and into the Speedway GP World Championship lead, three clear of Zmarzlik on 62, while Holder remains firmly in the title fight in third on 55 after finishing fourth in Saturday’s final.

For Kurtz, the victory carried extra significance given his history at the venue, having finished third and second across the two Manchester rounds in 2025 before finally standing on top of the podium at the fourth attempt.

“I have been in all the finals in Manchester now and hadn’t managed to get the win before. I am really happy to get up there,” Kurtz said.

Reflecting on the turnaround from Friday’s round, he admitted the improvements were crucial. “I learned a lot from Friday’s round. I didn’t feel I was at my best and I didn’t have a lot of speed. I wasn’t making good starts. But we were much, much better on Saturday. I am super happy with that.”

The final itself, however, was far from straightforward, with Kurtz admitting the chaotic nature of the race made it difficult to read in real time.

“I don’t know what happened. I haven’t seen the replay. I made an awful start. I was actually quite confident with gate four that if I could get to the outside, I knew I had a lot of speed. It took me a few laps to get up there, but I found my way through,” he said.

“Michael and Bartek were both going left and right, and I didn’t really know where to go. I saw some space and suddenly I was in front. I am really super happy with it.”

Kurtz was also warmly embraced by the Manchester crowd, where he has raced as part of the Belle Vue Aces setup since 2021, with the Australian relishing the support in the absence of injured home favourite Dan Bewley.

“I can probably thank Dan for that – he’s definitely the fan favourite here. I wish him all the best,” Kurtz said. “It’s mega to have so much support somewhere that’s not your home country, and I am really grateful for that. I want to say thanks to all the fans here.”

Next up is a return to familiar territory for Kurtz, with the DEWALT FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Wroclaw set for June 20 at his PGE Ekstraliga home track, where he also claimed victory in 2025.

“I won’t be thinking about that round just yet, but I am looking forward to Wroclaw. We have a home match there this week. Hopefully I can have a good one there and be ready for it,” he said.

“There are a lot of good tracks coming up in the next few rounds. I am just trying to stay consistent, keep getting into those finals and keep getting the points on the board. There is still a long way home from here.”

Behind Kurtz, Jepsen Jensen continued his strong return to full-time Speedway GP competition, with the Dane securing second place and climbing to fourth in the world championship standings on 45 points.

“To be fair, it’s a long time since I have been in the GPs. It took a little bit of getting used to, being back here,” he said. “Just being in the right place and feeling comfortable isn’t easy, but I finally felt better on Saturday.”

“The goal is always to be in that final heat. I messed up the first GP in Landshut, but I learned a lot from that. I also learned a lot from the last round in Prague. Manchester gave me a lot as well. It was a good practice run on Friday night.”

“I am happy – I finished sixth that night. Being in the final on Saturday was the main goal. Racing is what we are here for.”

Reigning champion Bartosz Zmarzlik rounded out the podium after another consistent night, reaching his fourth straight final of the season despite still feeling the effects of a crash from the previous round.

“It was really tough for me. I am happy because I was in the final again, which is the minimum plan,” Zmarzlik said.

“Congrats to the boys – they did better work than me in the final. I think we made it a good show for the people in the final – it was possible for everyone to win this race.

“Brady was the smartest in the final. I was happy because after Friday, I felt good, but not 100 percent after my crash. Making the podium is good.”