NO NERVES FOR MARTIN

German star Martin Smolinski insists “I’m not nervous. I’m just focused” ahead of his full-time FIM Speedway Grand Prix debut in Auckland on Saturday, and said “I think I will surprise a little bit.”

Smolinski has been busy setting up his pit area and machines at a gloriously sunny Western Springs ahead of the New Zealand SGP.

The Munich-born racer may go into this series as one of the underdogs for the World Championship, but the 29-year-old has no fear ahead of his big day and believes he has the form to make an impact.

He said: “I’m not nervous. I’m just focused. I’m prepared and all my team is working very hard. We have worked very hard all winter.

“We are going a different way with no Polish or Swedish league, but if you saw my pace in the Speedway Best Pairs at Torun, I think we’re on the pace. We still have to set up some stuff a bit different. But I had good speed and I was happy.

“I think we will surprise a little bit. My personal goal is top 10. That’s my focus and I think I’m very well set up.

“My engine tuner Tornado has done some very good engines. We’re working well together. He has worked with Greg Hancock and he knows what I need.”

Asked how he rated his semi-final hopes on Saturday, he replied: “We will see what happens. I think that’s a goal …”

Smolinski turned heads at Western Springs with a very professional pit corner for his SGP debut season. But this is nothing new for No.84.

He said: “It’s the way we are working. That’s the way I have worked for the past five to seven years. That’s what I want to show on television. This is a professional motorsport and I want to support my sponsors. I’m nothing without my sponsors.

“I’m very up-to-date with what I’m doing and in some ways, I’m a step ahead. I’ve been using the No.84 for the past five years and I’ve sold thousands of caps and t-shirts with my number on. That’s how to make a sport professional.”