DEPARTING Swindon Robins reserve Zach Wajtknecht hopes his break from speedway can help rekindle his love for the sport, which he admits has been lacking this term.

The Bristol-based racer announced on Sunday morning that he made the decision to step down from speedway after struggling to find form in the season’s opening months.

While he will continue racing in grasstrack and longtrack events, Wajtknecht insists the break is necessary – and he added his thanks to fans of both Swindon and Birmingham for their support throughout the year.

He wrote on Facebook: “I think it has been pretty clear to see that I have not been myself so far this season and I don’t feel I have done myself or my clubs justice.

“Not being able to enjoy my racing over the last month has been a big thing and I think that a break will help me find my hunger for racing again.”

With a current rolling average of 4.48, Wajtknecht’s SGB Premiership form this season has seen him earn just eight points from 24 rides in the top tier.

A heat win at King’s Lynn in the Supporters’ Cup over Simon Lambert and Erik Riss was undoubtedly the 21-year-old’s best moment of his 2019 season.

But with the negatives outweighing the positives, his decision to step down was ultimately made due to not feeling 100 per cent confident on the bike.

He added: “Stepping away from speedway for a while will help me hopefully find the love for the sport again.

“I don’t feel 100 per cent on the bike at the moment and you have to be 100 per cent to race safely and succeed.

“I intend to work on the problems that I think have held me back this season and test some new things.

“I will continue to race grasstrack and longtrack with a clear view on returning to speedway in the future when the time feels right.

“I want to say a huge thank you to all my sponsors for their support, and to the Swindon and Birmingham management and fans for sticking by me.”