Russian racer Emil Sayfutdinov‰Ûªs World Championship dream is all but over for 2013 after he pulled out of the Rockklassiker Scandinavian FIM Speedway Grand Prix in Stockholm on September 21.
The 23-year-old is recovering from arm and knee injuries sustained while racing for Czestochowa in a Polish Ekstraliga play-off semi-final, first leg at Torun on August 31.
Sayfutdinov sat out the Doodson Slovenian SGP in Krsko last Saturday, allowing World Championship leader Tai Woffinden to extend his lead over the Salavat-born star from three to 20 points and move on to 134.
Woffinden‰Ûªs nearest challenger realistically is now Polish hotshot Jaroslaw Hampel, who is 22 points behind the British No.1 on 112.
If Woffy is 22 points or more clear of his nearest rival, whoever that may be, after the Friends Arena event, he will become Britain‰Ûªs first world champion since Mark Loram triumphed in Bydgoszcz on September 23, 2000. This means he must match or better Hampel‰Ûªs score in Stockholm to rule the Pole out of the running.
Sayfutdinov is replaced at the Friends Arena by SGP second reserve Leon Madsen, who wears the No.20 race jacket. First stand-in Ales Dryml covers for world champion Chris Holder, whose season was ended by injury in July.
