LEICESTER Speedway wish to place on record our sincere thanks to outgoing captain Max Fricke for his remarkable efforts over the last three seasons.
The Watling JCB Lions are progressing their team plans for the 2026 Premiership campaign, and regrettably the club can confirm they will be parting company with the Australian star.
Fricke joined the Lions as their new No.1 when they stepped back up to the top-flight in 2023, and he took over as skipper later that summer.
In both 2024 and 2025 he led the Lions to the league Grand Final, and he lifted the KO Cup last July as the Lions secured major team silverware at the top level for the first time.
An astonishing season of high-scoring consistency saw him raise his Premiership average to just under ten; and it is that figure which the Lions have had to juggle with since agreement was reached on the team-building structure for next season.
Whilst it would not be impossible to accommodate Fricke in a team, the reduction in overall points limit from 40 to 37 would mean wholesale changes would be required elsewhere, and it would potentially leave the side unbalanced and vulnerable in other areas.
Team manager Stewart Dickson said: “This is always one of the hardest decisions to make, but as ever I have to go with what I feel is best for the team overall under the rules that are in place.
“Max has been brilliant for us over the last three years; he and his team have been ultimate professionals, and Max has delivered on track for us time and again as well as offering plenty of input as captain.
“There are no problems between us, and he was certainly open to a return to Leicester had we decided to go in that direction.
“With the points limit going down by three points, and the fact that we were already two points above the existing limit, that was always going to mean a more significant change than we made last winter.
“With the averages of the other riders, we would have had to make substantial moves elsewhere and I just don’t see how we would have been able to achieve the balance we need. Max of course would have continued scoring heavily, but I feel we would have lost out elsewhere.
“I believe we will have a side which still has top-end power but also enables us to score down the order, so whilst it’s a difficult call I do feel it’s the correct one.
“Max deserves all the plaudits for what he has brought to the club, he’s played a major part in establishing us in this league, and we wish him all the very best for 2026 in his league racing and the Grand Prix.”
Lions expect to be in a position to name their first signing for next season in the very near future.
