• Australian leading the championship by nine points
• Grand Prix marks the return of Antonio Lindback

Championship leader Jason Crump goes into the FIM Swedish Grand Prix in perhaps his best run of form since he secured the second of his two world-titles back in 2006. The Australian rider, who was born in Bristol, has been in sensational form, so far this season, both in the Grand Prix series and also for his teams in Poland and Sweden, where he has been virtually unbeatable.

"It is been a really good start to the season, I'm just very happy to have made a start like this," said Crump. "In the last couple of years when I haven't had such good seasons, I haven't started well, so it's very encouraging to have put a good start together."

Crump, who goes into the weekend on 36 points, holds a nine points lead over Sweden's Andreas Jonsson, with the veteran American Greg Hancock and teenage Russian Emil Sayfutdinov level on 26 points.

Like a number of Grand Prix riders he's chosen to sit out this season's British League, due to the punishing schedule that it creates, and he believes that he is seeing the benefits of that decision. "The only thing that's changed in the last year is not racing in the UK. I've always been a firm believer that the league in England has been an essential league to race in, and that's the reason I rode there. The number of meetings that you are riding though, it tends to wear you down a bit and I felt that the last couple of years in particular I've been a bit jaded"

"It's given me back a little extra enthusiasm to be able to look in my calendar and see that I don't have four or five meetings this week to race in. I think that it's fair to say that giving the Elite League a miss has given me a bit of a boost this season. It's got the fire burning again if you like."

With reigning world champion Nicki Pedersen, and some of his title rivals dropping points unexpectedly, Crump has made the most of his chance.

"It's certainly a help to see people dropping points, but you have to look at your own performance, you have to be focussed on what you are doing yourself.

"You can't rely on what other people are doing or not doing. You have to go to every Grand Prix with high hopes and expectations and just take as many points out of every opportunity that you are given," he said.

Meanwhile the Swedish Grand Prix marks the return to the top level of the sport for the Brazilian born Swede, Antonio Lindback. Still only 24, he blazed onto the scene and then almost as quickly retired after a series of personal problems.

Now under the wing of fellow Swede, six times World Champion Tony Rickardsson, it seems that the demons have been driven from the door.

"Tony has been a big help and he will be there with me for the Grand Prix. He has helped me both with my bikes, how to set them up for different tracks and look after them, and mentally too. Having him in my corner has been a real boost to my career," Lindback said.

Having a fully-fit and focussed Antonio Lindback back in the fold would be a great boost to the sport, and there will be many people who hope that the Rio Rocket is set for take-off again.