• Former champion Ervin Krajčovič leads title fight after four rounds
  • Reigning champion Sammy Halbert aims to take series lead in Hungary
  • World’s elite head to Vasad for penultimate round showdown

Krajčovič – who took gold in 2023 – appeared to have seized control of the series at the halfway point, but last time out in Germany he never seemed to really find his flow on the extremely fast Scheessel circuit. Halbert, on the other hand, was in dominant form and the American won all four of his Heats and the Grand Final where he also picked up the bonus point for the fastest lap to pull back eleven points on the Czech star and jump from fourth to second in the championship chase.

If Halbert can carry this form into Vasad we could see a big shake-up in the series standings, although at three-hundred-and-thirteen metres the Moto Track Arena circuit is considerably shorter than the one-thousand-metre track at Scheessel and represents a very different challenge to the spectacular sport’s elite racers.

Krajčovič’s compatriot Ondřej Švédík (KTM) also failed to get to grips with Scheessel and after recording his lowest finishing position this season in fifth he has dropped to third in the standings, five points behind Halbert, although he reduced the deficit to his fellow Czech racer to seven and knows that he is within striking distance of the series lead.

On an afternoon when no-one in the top three performed to their full abilities, Daniele Tonelli (TM) failed to even make the cut for the Grand Final in Scheessel and as a result has slipped to fourth. Currently trailing Švédík by eleven points, the Italian knows he needs to bring his A game to Hungary if he is to remain in contention for a coveted FIM medal.

In complete contrast to the fortunes of Krajčovič, Švédík and Tonelli, Italy’s Kevin Corradetti (Yamaha) and Tim Neave (GASGAS) from Britain posted season-best finishes in Scheessel to end the day on the podium on either side of Halbert and their rivals must be concerned about the pair’s upturn in form. While both are realistically out of contention for the title, repeat performances at Vasad could potentially have major consequences for the riders ahead of them in the points table.

Currently lying sixth, Spain’s 2022 champion Gerard Bailo (Zaeta) also suffered a dip in form last time out after only just making the cut for the Grand Final and while he will be aiming to regain fifth from Corradetti he must also make sure he does not allow Argentina’s Santiago Arangio (Yamaha) – who was a career-best fourth in Scheessel – to close him down any further.

Another rider to watch out for on Saturday will be exciting up-and-coming British racer Thomas Hunt (KTM) who, following his Wild Card appearance at Scheessel, returns to replace injured Italian Stefano Casiraghi (Beta). The teenaged talent impressed on his championship debut with a string of strong results in his Heats against the series’ main pace-setters and with this added experience under his belt could figure near the front of the field alongside riders including his compatriot Jack Bell (Triumph), rising Czech star Vít Janoušek (Honda) and Dutchman Menno Van Meer (Honda).

The points-scoring action from Vasad is due to get under way this coming Saturday afternoon with the opening Heat scheduled for 14:00 (local time).
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