Emil Sajfutdinow: I feel great at MotoArena

 What are your memories connected with last year Speedway Best Pairs Cup?

- To be honest, there is not much to remember. To be gentle, we couldn’t find the right rhythm in that event, additionally we weren’t in the strongest squad because there wasn’t Grigorij Laguta. I was just after the injury of my collarbone so that’s why I removed this tournament from my memory quickly. The second round in Ladshut has taught me a few things but I would like to keep it for myself.

We all remember quite rare situation when you and Artiom were excluded because of wrong colors of helmets?

- It is past, there is no need to come back to that mistake. We made it and surely we won’t repeat it. It’s a pity that we made it then because we lost the chance to fight for the final.

In another round there was shock – the last place is not a reason to be proud of?

- Exactly, it wasn’t a good round for us. We had problems during the whole tournament. I had a moment when I didn’t know what to do but last two heats were better. It was after the tournament in Landshut when I decided that it was time for some small changes and it appeared that they were effective.

Finally you were just after the top three. Will you fight for podium this season?

- We always fight for a win. You ride to win. Grigorij Laguta will come back to our team so I think we will be able to fight for the first place successfully.

You had an opportunity to ride in Toruń for a year. How do you feel at Motoarena?

- I always feel great there. MotoArena is a great stadium, it’s a great track to fight. Each time you can choose different paths which are also fast. It gives a lot of fun from riding. The atmosphere at the stadium is also special. I have great memories from my starts in Toruń. Everything is one real advantage.

Has something changed for the past year as far as speedway in Russia is concerned?

- Unfortunately nothing! It’s even worse than it was but I don’t want to talk about details. It’s definitely one of the issues which makes me really sad…

So far you haven’t received permission from your federation to start in Polish league. What are the reasons of such situation?

- There were some problems for a while but everything is done now. I have the permission from my federation, I can race in Polish league, so there is no problem.

With who do you like to ride in par most? With Grigorij or Artiom Laguta?

- With both of them I like ride. Each of them prefers different style but we can cooperate on a track. That’s the most important to help one another especially in such tournament as Speedway Best Pairs Cup in which winning a heat is not so important as cooperation with a teammate. It provides a special atmosphere of this event. It doesn’t matter with who I will ride, I’ll do my best to make it possible for Russia to win.

Is European Champion title commitment to even harder trainings before the season?

- It’s not a commitment, I don’t want to prove anything. Me and my team do everything for myself, for anyone else I know what I need to be in a good form. Last year it worked well so I hope this season it will be similarly.

It’s rather rhetorical question but do you think that you will manage to defend the first place in SEC?

- I’ll definitely do everything to do that but what the result will be we’ll see after the final tournament in Ostrów.

The question about your club. In Poland you’ve changed the team. Do you think that it was a good move of yours?

- If I weren’t convinced about it, I wouldn’t have done it. Leszno is a very good club and I’ll do my best to score as many points as possible in the season.

There is an opinion that Sajfutdinow and Pedersen can’t ride together because they don’t get on well with one another. Is it true? You had some conflicts in the past…

- That’s not true that we don’t like one another. You will see that we’ll be the best pair in Polish league!

How would you encourage fans to come on the 28th March at MotoArena?

- Great track and stadium, the first big international event this season, great riders so fans can be sure of a lot of emotions! Fight between national pairs is always exciting because you can see more cooperation on a track than during league matches. There individual score is not so important as pair one. I think that that’s enough for encouragement.

Thanks for the interview.

- Thanks and I would like to greet all fans. See you in Toruń!