Antonio Lindbäck entered the World Cup series in earnest as a 20-year-old, 2005.

Two seventh places, 2012 and 2016. These are Antonio Lindbäck's best places in the World Cup table so far, where he has run nine complete championships.

Shape of upward

15 years later, as a 35-year-old, he is one of the World Cup's most experienced drivers - and has still not given up hope of taking a hotly coveted World Cup medal.

- I absolutely do not have that. There is a lot left to give, and I hope to be able to show it in this year's WC, says Antonio Lindbäck who drives for Masarna in the Swedish elite series.

As in all other sports, this year's speedway season has been different to say the least due to the corona pandemic. Antonio Lindbäck started the season in Poland, where he drives for his Polish club Zielona Gora. But when the elite series started in August, he was back in Masarna, and thinks that his form is rising before the World Cup series.

- It has been very much up and down for my own part. The season has been very strange with everything that has been. I myself have had very few competitions, but I think it feels better and better and look forward to the World Cup. It will be fun to drive, says Antonio Lindbäck.

Want to find the smoothness

And what is Lindbäck's plan to be in the top tier of the World Cup table?
- It is important to try to keep it together, and get even competitions. You may not have to take full points every time, but is more about being on 10-12-13 points each competition. Then you end up at the top, says Antonio Lindäck.

This year's WC is run in a slimmed-down form, with eight competitions divided into four weekends with two competitions one day in a row. Most of the competitions are run in Poland starting in Wroclaw on Friday night.

The Swedish speedway star is more positive than negative about it.

- Either you do not like it, or you try to make the best of it. I think it's good anyway. Now you have to drive twice on the same track, and if you have not succeeded in the first race, you have the chance to improve until day two. I think it's a fun setup, says Antonio Lindäck who together with last year's WC four Fredrik Lindgren are the Swedish elements in this year's WC.