In case you missed it see what’s in this section
We recommend
Let's Talk
Your Total Guide To sport
Speedway: Doyle Goes Into Next Year As World No.5
Swindon Robins' new recruit Jason Doyle has admitted he needs to believe in himself more, after smashing his own expectations and finishing fifth in the FIM Speedway World Championships.
Following the event, Aussie champ Jason Doyle has admitted: “Sometimes I don’t believe in myself as much as I should."
The Newcastle-born hotshot went into his debut SGP season, determined to secure the top-eight spot needed to guarantee his place in the 2016 series.
But Doyle emphatically did that with a round to spare and now goes into next year as world No.5, having reached two finals.
Doyle is delighted with his achievements and the 30-year-old says he could never have dreamed of a top-five finish when he earned his spot via the GP Challenge in September 2014.
“I never set a goal to be higher than eighth. I just wanted to get into the top eight and say it was a successful season," said Doyle.
“To qualify for the Grand Prix without getting a wild card is a big achievement for me. I don’t like setting massive goals – you have to make them achievable.
“If someone had said I’d finish fifth in the world, I would have just laughed at it. But sometimes I don’t believe in myself as much as I should," he added.
Doyle may have been a high achiever, but he admits his first season at the sport’s top table has still been a steep learning curve.
He said: “I have learnt a lot this year. I’ve told many people over the year that it is a learning curve. It’s a different style of racing. It’s not so much argy-bargy; it’s a pretty tactical way of racing, which I wasn’t used to.
“The indoor stadiums are a lot different to most of the tracks I have ridden before and the setups. Everything down to the travelling is learning. Hopefully I can plan it a bit better, have it all ready to go and have a good charge next year.”
One SGP event where Doyle is desperate for a big performance next season is the Australian SGP in Melbourne on October 22.
After crashing hard on the first bend of this year’s final to miss out on a shot at the rostrum, Doyle is determined to taste the champagne in 2016.
Despite ending this year’s Aussie round in hospital with a fractured neck and punctured lung, it was still a special night for the Swindon star.
He said: “It was a great event Melbourne put on. To finally have an Australian Grand Prix after 13 years was fantastic. It was done very professionally and hats off to Etihad Stadium for the great event they put on. Next year, hopefully I can go a few steps better.
“After we got over the jet lag, it wasn’t a bad night. I’m going to change things next year. I won’t be getting there on the Wednesday and racing on the Saturday. I’ve done the trip for 10 years with the jet lag, but this made it pretty hard to ride and I wasn’t 100 per cent focused.
“Other than that, it was good. There was a great atmosphere at the stadium and it was good to see so many old faces. I’ve grown up with all these people around the sport in Australia. It was good they all backed us. Hopefully me and Chris Holder can turn it on next year.”
Weather in Swindon
Listings