NGK-sponsored World Speedway Champion Greg Hancock has officially withdrawn from the remainder of the 2017 FIM Speedway Grand Prix series due to an injured shoulder. However, fellow NGK-sponsored riders Emil Sayfutdinov and Matej Zagar will be maintaining NGK interest in the series at Polish GP in Gorzow on Saturday, August 26.

The four-time champion has been out of action since the British Speedway GP in Cardiff last month and despite his best efforts to try and build the shoulder back to strength, he has decided to end his season early and seek an operation to return to full fitness for next year.

Greg said, “I am obviously devastated to have to end my season so early but I know that it’s the right call, as frustrating as it is. I have worked so hard since Cardiff on trying to build the strength back up in my shoulder and trying to stabilise it but the truth is that the only way of making it strong enough is to have an operation and get it fixed properly.”

NGK Spark Plugs Marketing Manager Mark Hallam said, “It is very sad that Greg has had to withdraw from this year’s championship, but I am sure that he will return to action better than ever in 2018. We wish him a speedy recovery.”

NGK sponsored riders Emil Sayfutdinov and Matej Zagar will be competing in the Polish GP and are both well placed in the series over all in seventh and tenth place respectively.