The champion who came in from the cold

Motul has just celebrated its first title of the season as Dmitry Koltakov clinched his third FIM Ice Speedway Gladiators Championship crown! So let’s take advantage of this event to spotlight one of the special features of this branch of motor sport quite unlike any other.

First of all, however, the Russian rider’s domination deserves to be congratulated. In 10 days – or evenings’ racing, he scored the maximum number of points six times and won nine finals.

The 28-millimetre spikes on the tyres, the riders’ look and the design of the bikes that have no brakes are some of the special features of this mind-boggling sport. The races’ format is another source of myth as the riders are unleashed in groups of four for four laps. What’s the best place to start? The inside, on the left in the direction of the race, despite the fact that it gives the tightest line on the run-in to the first corner? The outside, close to the protective barriers? Between the two, where riders risk getting caught in a sandwich?

In the heats the 18 riders line up in each starting place at least once in turn during their five races of the day. After that the fastest are given priority to choose their place on the grid. In the Thialf Stadium in Heerenveen in the Netherlands, the theatre of the final of the world championship, statistics showed that the inside (red gate) was the best. On the other hand, riders starting from the white gate (the third from the inside) scored the worst results.

However, results can vary depending on the circuits and probably on several other parameters as well. At the opening round in Kazakhstan, riders starting from the blue gate (second from the inside) scored the most points, while those in the yellow on the outside were in the worst position. In the end, though, talent, experience and feeling are still the best guides to help riders reach the topmost step of the podium!

Dmitry Koltakov’s team is technically supported by Motul.