FREDDIE STANDS HIS GROUND

FREDDIE STANDS HIS GROUND

Tuesday 28th August 2012, 17:38

Swedish star Freddie Lindgren was pleased to keep top-eight rival Antonio Lindback at arm’s length by finishing fourth in the FIM Fogo British SGP on Saturday.

The 26-year-old was pipped on to the rostrum by the Rio Rocket, who picked up third in the final behind Chris Holder and Krzysztof Kasprzak.

Lindgren scored nine points in his heats compared to Lindback’s eight, while Fast Freddie won semi-final two and his Avesta-based rival was second in the first last-eight heat.

Lindback’s two points in the final meant they finished on 12 apiece to leave Lindgren seventh in the World Championship on 89 and Lindback ninth on 74 – putting him just two behind Andreas Jonsson, who occupies the eighth and final automatic qualification berth for 2013.

Dackarna rider Lindgren knows the in-form Indianerna man could still overhaul him with three rounds to race. So he was pleased to recover from scoring just a point in his opening two heats to maintain the upper hand in the fight for qualification.

"I’ve got to keep focusing on myself, but Lindback is in good form at the minute. He’s ninth and you have to be on top of your game."

- Freddie Lindgren

Lindgren said: “I’ve got to keep focusing on myself, but Lindback is in good form at the minute. He’s ninth and you have to be on top of your game. I scored the same as him so I’ve kept him at bay – that’s alright.

“I was a bit down at the beginning in Cardiff. I was really struggling. Then I swapped bikes and I dropped one point after that. I showed good character not to give up and get two good heat wins when it mattered. I got to the semis and won that as well.

“I gambled a little bit in the final and took gate four. I thought I could have won it, but when they graded the track, the dirt line wasn’t really there anymore.”

Next up is the FIM Scandinavian SGP in Malilla on September 8, which takes place on Lindgren’s Elitserien home track. But the Wolverhampton and Wroclaw man knows his local knowledge could count for little against the sport’s biggest names.

“I feel positive going into Malilla now,” he said. “It’s a track I know well. But it’s one of those where it’s really hard to know where to ride and everyone seems to like it. It’s one of the hardest home tracks to have in the Swedish league, but I’m going there with the wish to be in the final again.”

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