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Doyle not feeling the pressure ahead of 2016 Speedway season
As the 2016 Elite League Season nears the start line, Total Sport’s Ryan Walker sat down with the new Swindon Robins' skipper Jason Doyle to get his thoughts on the 2016 Speedway Elite League.
Doyle enjoyed a fine campaign during the previous Elite League season, commanding a fine points average for Leicester Lions and winning the Elite League rider's championship.
Last racing for the Swindon Robins in 2012, Jason Doyle admits that he is extremely glad to be back racing in red.
“Yeah I’m definitely glad to be back here.” Doyle began.
“It’s a move that I wanted to make a bit earlier but it didn’t work out, but that’s part and parcel of Speedway.
“Sometimes the averages don’t fit, but I’m glad to be back and looking forward to the new season with this team," he added.
After such an impressive 2015 season at both club and Grand Prix level, there will be high expectations on Doyle from both Swindon fans and pundits alike, but the Australian superstar insists he will have no problem dealing with the pressure.
“I’ll deal with the expectation just like I did last year to be honest. Just go in, score points, go home and hope everyone is happy,” Doyle said.
“You’ve got to keep Speedway quite simple and if you don’t make too much fuss about it then it should all come together.
“There is a lot of pressure on my shoulders but my aim is just to score as many points as possible for Swindon," the Aussie added.
With former captain Troy Batchelor departing for King’s Lynn over the winter, the responsibility of leading the team falls to Doyle. But, with so many quality riders in the squad, Doyle expects everyone to play a leading role.
“I don’t think that as captain I will have to play much of a father role to the other riders so to speak," said the 30-year-old.
“The boys that are in the team this year have had enough seasons in England to realise what is required of them.
“They all know they’re roles and I’ve just got to be there to give support when they need it.
“We are all racers and we all know where we want to be at the end of the year," he added.
With Doyle being just one of five Australian riders in the Swindon team this season, the Swindon skipper admits that he is glad to be surrounded by so many of his compatriots.
“I think Rosco (Alun Rossiter) has tried to build a team with a bit of passion but at the same time a team full of good racers.”
“We’ve got a great camaraderie between all the Aussies, but also we have got two great reserves that will hopefully do the job for us.”
Away from Elite League Speedway, Doyle will also be hoping for another successful Grand Prix campaign after finishing fifth overall last year, but admits that his main aim is to just stay in the top eight.
“I always said I would do two seasons of just trying to make the top eight. “ Doyle reiterated.
“We will go with the same goals this year but I have learnt a lot from last season and am really looking forward to this one," he added.
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