With the new speedway Grand Prix season gearing up for the first round at Landshut, Germany, on 3rd May, I caught up with British gladiators Robert Lambert and Dan Bewley. Acknowledging that they had already endured an earlier, and no doubt exhausting, full-on press conference, my mission sought to change the tempo and talk about anything but the world championship series. I was content to leave the talk of gear ratios, bike setups, and riding lines to my journalistic colleagues who revel in the technicality of elite racing. I much prefer to shoot the breeze with these stars who are much more than the sum of their moving parts and the caressing of the clutch. In short, I like a good gossip.
I had nonetheless undertaken some planning by outsourcing the bulk of the chat themes to the wider speedway fanbase via the immediate and convenient reach of social media. Both racers share a mutual use of Instagram, Facebook, and X, although Dan disclosed a guilty pleasure: “To be honest I’m more of a YouTube guy,” citing a keen interest in anything petrol-head related and do-it-yourself.
My next question sought to elicit what thought processes occupy their headspace out on the track once protected by a helmet, other than the desire to win. Robert’s stance was steadfast and straight to the point: it was all about focus. Dan couldn’t argue with this ultra-professional clarity of thought, but he did admit that once he’d tucked in behind Robert in the final of last year’s Speedway of Nations, and the finish line came into view, he allowed himself to ponder the ensuing celebrations!
Turning to the unique spectacle of a GP double in Manchester on the 13th and 14th June, where is the best place to head during Friday night and the weekend downtime. Robert admitted to having more of a no-nonsense business relationship with the city, having stayed in various hotels but rarely experiencing the bright lights of the great industrial powerhouse. But if he had a spare moment, he’d make a beeline to the nearest Nando’s. Dan, on the other hand, metaphorically donned his Tripadvisor cap and listed several highly recommended drop-ins: the Dog Bowl – a New York inspired bowling alley, the “cool” Flight Club – where drinking is combined with throwing darts, and during the day, Farmer Johns – where you can experience the adrenalin rush of extreme mountain-biking. Dan was also keen to give a shout-out to friends Hayley Bromley and Phil Naylor – proprietors of Maxwell’s newsagents (a 25-minute walk from the National Speedway Stadium), where the shopfront has been elegantly fashioned into an impressive montage of the hometown hero. Teaser alert: details to follow of an exciting fan experience to be based at this locale during the GP weekend.
As both racers relaxed, it was time to dish the dirt and gain some glorious gossip. Who’s the GP pro with the best fashion sense? Dan, observing his own penchant for practical attire, nevertheless credited Mikkel Michelsen as the smartest dude. Robert didn’t hesitate: GP legend Tai Woffinden. As for the person who required the coaching of Gok Wan, Robert paused, sighed, then delivered his damning verdict: Dan Bewley! His partner in crime didn’t rise to the bait and had a more pragmatic view: “I wouldn’t know, to be honest. Off the bike I don’t pay too much attention to that aspect, but maybe Patryk Dudek should ditch the green straws on his front wheels!”
Next reveal-all – who is the joker in the pack? Robert placed Jason Doyle on the top chuckle pedestal, while Dan had no hesitation in extolling the box office comedic qualities of Woffy.
Turning to matters of nourishment, I asked the guys to identify the best circuit grub. Having been resident in Poland for five years, Robert was an obvious fan of the local cuisine, stating that Warsaw is probably the best place to experience the most varied of offerings: “Thai, Italian, great steaks – whatever floats your boat really.” Dan recalled the best trackside feast at Teterow in Germany: “Always incredible – that was my favourite GP!” In terms of places to eat outside the confines of the stadiums, Wroclaw was his gastronomic delight: “Petit Fours, a French breakfast style place about 10 minutes away from the stadium, is ace. The owner is a big speedway fan too, so I’d recommend checking his place out.”
Turning to matters of global importance: the must watch Netflix show. Dan admitted that he doesn’t have a Netflix subscription, but was in no doubt of his must-watch TV series: Gold Rush on the Discovery Channel. “I absolutely love that programme. There are quite a few different goldmines based in Canada, and Parker, my favourite character, has some huge bulldozers and heavy equipment and the programme follows the unrelenting quest for gold. It’s a win or bust career, and if they don’t find it they are in big trouble. It’s a pretty cool show!” Robert pondered this question for a moment or two, since I wouldn’t let him off with simply choosing the speedway coverage. By a process of osmosis, he conceded that he is secretly into “Love is blind,” only because his wife, Julia, is an avid fan! A straight shoot-out: Gavin and Stacy, or Friends? Dissent in the ranks, with Robert opting for Friends, while Dan chose the Barry Island lovers, Gavin and Stacy.
With our time together drawing to a close it was time to quiz the pair on more intimate matters – beginning with their appearance. If you started to lose your hair, how would you react: shave it all off, or cover it with a comb over? Dan immediately opted for a comb-over, but qualified this observation by concluding that there was nothing wrong with being light on top: “Bald is good – it’s practical!” Robert went for the ease of a shaved bonce.
Marooned on a tropical island, what would you miss the most? For Robert, the primary group consisted of Julia, loved ones, and a nice piece of steak! Dan, ever the realist, would miss his motorcross bike. Of matters domestic: do you know when the bins have to go out for collection? Both were emphatic. Dan: “On a Thursday,” while at Robert’s home it’s a Thursday evening, for an early morning Friday collection. Not a hint of being nudged to remember by any third party – impressive!
Dad dancer or dance floor demon: Dan would require to be somewhat inebriated to strut his “murder on the dancefloor” routine. Meanwhile Robert fessed up to being a pretty woeful dad dancer!
What really annoys you both? Dan was philosophical: “Things not turning out as expected.” Although one specific gripe was restaurants without a proper menu. “Ordering on your phone when the internet connection is poor, and you have to log onto the Wi-Fi and enter your email address. It’s terrible!” Robert went straight for the jugular: “Other drivers on the road without any common sense!” In his candid opinion, Russian drivers are up there with the worst, closely followed by their Greek counterparts: “They don’t seem to follow any rules!”
Now for the clincher – did either of you ever get into trouble at school, and if so, for what? Robert was first out of the blocks: “Quite a lot really – mainly for not doing my homework! I was adamant that I attended school from 9am to 3pm and outside of those times I was doing other things. I was brought up on a farm, and as soon as I was home I’d be busy working, or on my bike.” Dan held the front page with a delicious disclosure – he was kicked out of college after two-and-a-half years! “Quick story – I was doing mechanical engineering and was actually ahead with all my course work. Around April time, I’d just got my career started in Sweden and I was expelled for non-attendance. Just as I received the news, I had my first meeting in Poland, followed by my best score at Belle Vue, and the British Final was a week or so later where I finished runner-up. So my speedway career kicked off as soon as they kicked me out!” A warming conclusion to this extraordinary episode saw Dan meet his old tutor; everything is now good in the hood!
Getting away from it all, Robert chose the idyllic Maldives where he’d recently honeymooned: “It was incredible; we could walk around our island in 30 minutes. It was total relaxation.” This followed the somewhat choppy seaplane flight. Dan was more Stateside, with California and Florida as his top excursions, particularly the smaller communities outside the craziness of Las Vegas.
As for a tipple, Robert had a varied choice – good wine, Espresso Martini, or a Whiskey Sour cocktail. Dan was more matter of fact: “Monster!”
My final question sought to tease out any hidden talents, and I wasn’t to be disappointed with the disclosures. Robert is a good skier, having developed his impressive skill set since the age of seven. Dan, on the other hand, had a more grounded gift – he can ride a unicycle! Having been bought one for Christmas, he practised in a nearby supermarket car park before becoming proficient. So that’s the interval entertainment sorted for this year’s GP calendar.
Thanks Dan and Robert for entering into the spirit of full disclosure and for putting the great back in the Great Britain setup!
© Ian Kirke 2025 & title photograph
@ iankirke.bsky.social
All uncredited photographs reproduced with the kind permission of Hayley Bromley.