Laguta springs GP shock

Laguta: Big win (Pic credit Fotospeedway.pl)

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Russian teenager Artem Laguta produced a huge shock as he booked his place in the 2011 Grand Prix series after winning the GP Challenge.

The GP Challenge is the only way riders can qualify for the World Championship, and it offers three spots each year.

Laguta took this year's event at Vojens, Denmark, ahead of Swede Antonio Lindback - who now makes welcome return to the GP format.

Linback was joined on the podium by Freddie Lindgren, who is already in the current GP series, but now guarantees his place in 2011.

Laguta reeled off four wins from his five rides against expectations and then beat Lindback in a run-off to stand on top of the podium.

"I still don't believe it - it feels like I'm dreaming. I'm going to work 100 percent in the winter for my season in the GP and I'm going to fight to stay in the top eight. I'll be happy if I stay in the top eight," said the 19-year-old.

"Now I must end this season well and we'll think about next year in the winter. But racing against the top riders will be very hard - they don't make mistakes."

Lindgren finished level in third along with Pole Janusz Kolodziej and Magnus Zetterstrom, who came through last year's GP series. But it was Wolverhampton ace Lindgren who came through a three-man race-off.

British disappointment

British champion Chris Harris went into the meeting in good form and in confident mood, but he finished seventh on 8 points and now he will either have to make sure he finishes in the top-eight or get a wild-card to qualify for next year's GP series.

Fellow Brit Simon Stead also saw his GP dream disappear as he claimed six points.

The rest of the 15-man field for the 2011 GP series will be decided later in the year. The top-eight from the current campaign automatically qualify, then the series promoters decide on four permanent wild-cards.

One of those wild-cards is almost certain to be Russian Emil Sayfutdinov.

He finished third last year in his maiden campaign, but has seen his season ended early through injury.

And Lajuta is hoping he will be riding alongside his compatriot, adding: "I hope Emil will be in the GP as well and we'll be in it together. We can help each other."

GP Challenge result: Artem Laguta (3-0-3-3-3) 12+3, Antonio Lindback (1-3-3-3-2) 12+2, Freddie Lindgren (3-3-2-1-2) 11+3, Janusz Kolodziej (3-3-3-2-0) 11+2, Magnus Zetterstrom (2-3-0-3-3) 11+1, Thomas H Jonasson (2-2-1-1-3) 9, Chris Harris (0-1-2-2-3) 8, Niels Kristian Iversen (3-2-1-1-0) 7, Andrey Karpov (2-1-2-1-1) 7, Grigory Laguta (2-R-2-0-2) 6, Simon Stead (1-1-1-2-1) 6, Leon Madsen (0-0-0-3-2) 5, Roman Povazhny (R-2-3-T-0) 5, Sebastian Ulamek (1-0-1-2-0) 4, Tomasz Gapinski (0-2-0-0-1) 3, Grzegorz Walasek (1-1-0-0-1) 3, Lukas Dryml (R) 0.