Woffinden: Fans will blow the roof off of Cardiff

The British Speedway Grand Prix is here. And as sixteen riders battle it out for a chance of glory in the Welsh capital, TotalSport Swindon’s Ryan Walker got the lowdown on the action from current leader of the World series, Tai Woffinden.

With over 40,000 fans expected at the Principality Stadium for tonight’s event, the British SGP is still the biggest GP on the calendar. And Woffinden agrees, however says his main focus is on the World Championships not just one meeting. 

“I think it’s the biggest event on the calendar for every rider,” said Woffinden.

“It’s the biggest atmosphere and the biggest event in general.

“I’m looking forward to getting out there and scoring as many points as possible.

“Looking at the bigger picture, the aim is to become World Champion,” he added.

Winning his second World Championship in 2015, Tai Woffinden is top of this years current championship standings with sixty-five points to his name and eleven points clear of his closest challenger Fredrik Lindgren. But although being in scintillating form, Woffinden admits he isn’t feeling his best on the bike.

“Personally I don’t feel like this is the best form I’ve been in,” admitted Woffinden.

“I don’t feel to comfortable on the bike at the moment, I’m still working towards making everything feel better.

“I just need to keep my head down and focus on doing the job that I’ve come here to do,” said Woffinden.

“I’m not in the form that I was in 2015 and I just don’t feel as good as I did then,” he added.

And with World Championship number three looking an ever possible target for the 27-year-old, Woffinden states that he’s more focused on scoring big points in Cardiff than he is on winning the event.

“It’s hard to win a Grand Prix; it’s even harder to win a World Championship,” said Woffinden.

“My goal is to be World champion and not put my sole focus on winning at Cardiff.

“If I win here it’ll be a bonus and if I don’t then it doesn’t matter,” he said.

However with no British winner of the Cardiff GP since 2007, English fans will be putting all their support behind Woffinden who currently tops the betting odds as favourite for tonight. But the racer admits that he will drown out the pressure from the fans as he focuses on his task at hand.

“The only pressure I have is the pressure I put on myself,” said Woffinden.

“In terms of the crowd, I try not to worry about the added pressure from the fans.

“I put pressure on myself to win races, and that pressure is more than what the fans put on me,” he added.

“You can’t explain the feeling when you walk out in front of the Cardiff fans and hear your name announced.

“The fans will blow the roof off the place and it’s incredibly exciting,” said Woffinden.

But even though fans will be roaring the British rider onto success, his aim of winning the Grand Prix was made slightly harder after being drawn at number one, meaning he will be racing after every track grade. Something that Woffinden admits is not an ideal situation.

“It makes a big difference that I’m out on track after every track grade,” said Woffinden.

“It makes it harder but it is what it is.

“I was drawn at number one in the last GP in Sweden, but it’s another challenge that I’m looking forward to,” he added.