Brothers Jonas and Jesper Knudsen, aged 19 and 16, will be included in the gross squad in 2021 when SES - Sønderjylland Elite Speedway, with home track at Vojens Speedway Center, makes its debut in the Metal Speedway League. In a healthy competition, the brothers can thus support and develop each other.
By Ib Søby
Jonas and Jesper Knudsen are already members of Vojens Speedway Klub and have this year ridden on the club's teams in the 1st and 2nd divisions, while the Metal Speedway League did not start due to corona restrictions. However, big brother Jonas' season has also been somewhat underestimated, as in the spring he was affected by another virus, namely mononucleosis, which has hampered him for several months and certainly cost a place on the Danish U21 national team in 2020.
Little brother Jesper has this year had his first season of 500cc and showed strong driving. In 2019, he won both the Danish Championships, Nordic Championships, European Championships and World Championships in the middle class 250cc, which is remarkable, and with the fact that Jonas back in 2017 became the speedway sport's first official world champion in the same class, the Knudsen brothers occupy a striking status in the international speedway environment.
In 2021, Jonas and Jesper will duel for the place as D-driver at SES - Sønderjylland Elite Speedway, and this may cause some sparks in the home in Skærbæk.
- Yes, it may well be exciting, but I now also think that we are good at talking together and laying out a sensible strategy for the coming seasons, says Johnny Knudsen, who is the father of the two speedway talents.
- Jonas and Jesper are very different in temperament. Jonas is perhaps a little more analytical and thoughtful, while Jesper is very interested in technical setups and mechanics, so I really think they can complement each other well in a healthy competition, says Johnny Knudsen, who has never driven a speedway himself.
The wife Karina is the sister of the tdl. speedway driver and trainer in Skærbæk Motor Klub, Torben Hansen, and has therefore followed the sport closely.
The same Torben Hansen is the father of the U21 national team driver Mads Hansen, who also in 2021 drives for SES - Sønderjylland Elite Speedway.