Mind matters ... crashes can hurt the body, but Crump says the mindset is also crucial.
Source: AP
Psychology will play a big part in who will be crowned champion at the end of this year's Speedway Grand Prix, according to three-time world champion Jason Crump.
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With speedway races sometimes lasting less than a minute, the pressure is on to make the right decisions at the right times to take your sliding, high-speed, brakeless bike to victory.
After flying the Australian flag throughout a decorated career in the sport, the now-retired Crump told SPEED the intensity of the European speedway calendar is seeing a fair few riders turning to outside help to get their mental approach right.
Jason Crump talks Speedway Grand Prix
Retired Aussie speedway star Jason Crump gives us the lowdown of what to watch for this Speedway Grand Prix season.
"I dealt with one for a large part of my career, and several throughout the course of my career," Crump said.
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"Speedway, the Grand Prix now is at a different level than before. When it was a six Grand Prix series you could get yourself through it.
"But now with 12 rounds, a lot of travelling and a lot of racing in between, the riders are racing three, four, five times a week in races that are not to Grand Prix standard.
"The psychology side of things is certainly a big part of it and an important part of getting yourself through the season and being able to perform from the end of March into the middle of October."
Antonio Lindback
Source: Supplied
Crump cites Antonio Lindback as an excellent example of how mind can rule over natural skills during the long grind of the international speedway calendar.
Although Crump believes the Brazilian-born Swede is one of the most naturally talented riders on the tour, a switch in psychologist mid-year helped him translate his ability to results.
"I know Antonio changed his psychologist last year, three or four Grand Prix in, and his results certainly turned around. Maybe that guy's the right guy for him to bring a lot out of him."
On the eve of a new Speedway Grand Prix season, the championship's 15 riders have arrived in New Zealand with fresh bodies and minds after a long off-season.
With the heat of the world title battle still to unfold, plus the cut and thrust of weekly league racing still to begin, Crump believes the riders that are mentally focussed on the bigger picture will show it at Western Springs this weekend.
"You can normally see in the first Grand Prixs of the year which guys are actually in there to win it, and which guys are in there to do their best.
"Of course, they're all there to do their best, but there's a slightly different mindset.
"I'm really interested to see the body language of the guys walking around the pits before the first meeting. You can almost tell which guys are looking at the long haul of the whole season of putting a championship year together and picking up the big prize at the end."
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