KAROL Zabik has opened his heart in an exclusive interview for Peterborough fans.

The Polish star, who returns to the East of England Showground after making only 25 appearances in three seasons as a Panther, has covered a range of subjects.

On his feelings about the new season:

“Speedway is a simple sport and I’m ready for the new season and my confidence is better than before.

“I had quite a hard time but I just want to forget about it and look forward and focus on my skills and what I can do.

“I know I can do a lot better than before if I can go into it with a clear head and reach certain targets.

“I don’t want to be a rider who has ups and downs, I don’t want to score 15 or 13 points one night and the next time score nothing.

“I want to be on the level which I can be and I know I can be.”

On his form on the small tracks:

“People always think that Polish riders can’t race on small tracks properly but I have proved sometimes that I can ride small tracks good as well as the biggest tracks.

“I know I can do it and I know I can score points and if I can do that I will be happier in my own mind.

“If you want to be a top rider you have got to be able to race everywhere and that’s my aim, to be consistent everywhere.

“You can’t be saying ‘I can’t race on the small tracks’, you have to be good everywhere.”

On his targets for 2010:

“In the past I have made myself targets that are too high and if I wasn’t making the targets I would get too low and I didn’t have a smile on my face.

“I don’t want to put myself under pressure, I want to race with a smile on my face, speedway is something to enjoy.

“It’s not just a job, I love doing it.

“A few years ago I was making my goals too big and put too much pressure on myself from the start of the season, even before my first meeting I had too high pressure.”

On being a Panther:

“I love Peterborough, I love the club, I have had a lot of help from the club and from the people around the club.

“I love to see the fans happy after we have our wins and I want to see that this season.

“I’m proud to be a Panther, all winter I have been telling myself I could be a part of it again and I had a big smile when I knew I was going back.

“I have got a lot of friends over there, if they can help they do so and if I can help somebody I am willing to do it as well.

“I’m living with a nice family in Peterborough, they make it lots of fun for me and I’m proud and happy I can spend time with them.”

On the new-look team:

“Like a lot of people are saying we have got a young team and we have got some riders with something to prove.

“Maybe not all of us but some of us and that includes myself.

“I don’t want to put pressure on myself but I know what I have got to prove and I know some of the others have as well – maybe Troy (Batchelor), maybe Bridge (Lewis Bridger).

“We have got the whole season to prove something and to do everything to be in the play-offs.”

On fellow Pole Krzysztof Buczkowski:

“I look at his style of racing and I know he can handle small and big tracks, I know that.

“I can see his technique and he’s a good technical rider but he’s got to believe in himself more than before.

“I know he’s got good, high skills on a bike and I know he can reach the goals he wants to achieve.

“I know him very well and I’m looking forward to seeing him in the pits with me and I’m sure he will get better and better in each meeting.

“We have known each other since we were 18 years old and even though I’ve never ridden in the same club team we were racing a lot in the junior meetings and then we were together in the Poland Under 21 teams.

“We were teammates in two Under 21 World Cup Finals and in the last one at Abensberg in Germany.

“He was the best rider of our team then, he is good.

“We have spoken together a lot since he began talking with the Panthers and he was quite happy, he was quite surprised how easy it was to agree a deal.

“He wants to race in England and he wants to race for Peterborough and, of course, I want to help him.

“He’s going to have the same workshop as myself so we can talk about things.

“He’s a cool guy and I like him, so I will help him as much as I can.”


Look out for more major interviews on the Peterborough Panthers website.


RELEASE DATE: Tuesday 12 January 2010