PIRATES asset Chris Holder is confident of reviving his Grand Prix fortunes after admitting a “rough year off the bike” had hampered his 2017 campaign.

The Australian star, whose greatest night came when he was crowned world champion in Torun six years ago, finished 10th last season and was reliant on a wild card to retain his place in the series.

Also given reprieves were fellow former world champions Greg Hancock and Nicki Pedersen, alongside Leicester’s Martin Vaculik, who is due to miss the opening two rounds due to a broken ankle.

That meant the likes of Niels-Kristian Iversen – who will cover for Vaculik – Vaclav Milik, Poole’s Linus Sundstrom, Maksym Drabik and Max Fricke narrowly missed out on permanent spots.

Due to open the new GP campaign in Warsaw tomorrow, Holder told the Daily Echo: “I was definitely lucky to get a wild card because it could have gone to a lot of people.

“There were a lot of guys who had been going well and there were only four spots, so it was a tough decision for the SGP Commission.

“They could have brought in new people and it could have gone either way. When I heard I had been chosen, I was really relieved.

“I’ve been in the Grand Prix since 2010 and had only previously had a wild card after being out injured. I hadn’t really relied on them.

“In 2016, I was fourth in the world and only missed out on the podium by a couple of points.

“Last year, it didn’t work out. I know you are only as good as your last race but I know I am a lot better than where I finished last season.

“I had a really rough year off the bike so that didn’t help my cause. I was really grateful to get another go and I’m sure this year will be completely different.”

Holder, 30, joined four-time world champion Hancock’s newly-formed GP team during the winter – Hancock Haj Grand Prix.

Asked how it would benefit him, Holder said: “Less stress, pretty much. Greg has set it up well. He has a lot of experience and has been around speedway for a long time.

“When he asked me if I would be interested, it sounded too good not to do.

“I wanted to get as much responsibility off my back as I could because the past year has been so stressful with other things.

“You come to race and you are the boss. You have to make stuff happen and I thought it was a great opportunity to do as little as possible.

“I don’t mean that in a lazy way, I mean I needed no stress and to just turn up and race and not have to deal with anything else.”

Holder has five world championship round wins under his belt, having triumphed at the British GP twice, the Swedish GP, European GP and Australian GP.