Australia’s Beau Bailey has produced a superb rearguard action to finish third in the 2025 FIM SGP3 Speedway World Championship at Marketa Stadium in Prague on May 30.
After being excluded from heat eight and sitting on just 1pt after two rides, the 15-year-old’s chance of returning to the podium in the SGP3 Speedway title – for the world’s best under 16 riders on 250cc machinery – was on a knife edge.
But that only served to embolden the rider from NSW, who then proceeded to waltz through his final three heats, which was enough to got him into a run-off to decide the bronze.
He then rode like a demon in the run-off, passing German Carlos Gennnerich to lock in third place overall. The SGP3 title was won by Dane Villads Pedersen ahead of Slovenia Sven Cerjak.
“In the first heat, it was one of those rides. In the second, I got excluded. Before my third heat, I wanted to cry but then I made it into the run-off,” said Bailey.
“In the run-off, I had to sit behind Carlos (Gennnerich) until he made a mistake, but I was able to get past him.”
Bailey will now retire his 250cc machine and focus on the 500cc ranks.
“I’m going back to Denmark to train on the 500s until I go home. Then I’ll do the Aussie and state championships, and hopefully I will get a visa for the UK next year.”
The second Aussie in the Prague field, Nate Smith, was 14th – a mightily impressive performance from the 15-year-old from Echuca who only started riding two years ago.
