RUSSIAN teenager Artem Laguta will be a full-time Grand Prix rider in 2011 after taking a superb victory in Saturday’s GP Challenge at Vojens.

RUSSIAN teenager Artem Laguta will be a full-time Grand Prix rider in 2011 after taking a superb victory in Saturday’s GP Challenge at Vojens.

Laguta won four of his five rides to score 12 points, and he then beat Sweden’s Antonio Lindback in a run-off to win the meeting, although Lindback was also celebrating as the result also means he returns to the GP series.

The third qualifying place was taken by current GP rider Freddie Lindgren, and if he finishes in the top eight of this year’s competition that will hand Poland’s Janusz Kolodziej a spot.

British duo Chris Harris and Simon Stead both missed out, although Harris still has a chance of top-eight qualification this season as he is only four points off that position with four rounds to go.

Laguta said: “I still don’t believe it - it feels like I’m dreaming. I’m going to work 100 percent in the winter for my season in the GP and I’m going to fight to stay in the top eight. I’ll be happy if I stay in the top eight.

“Now I must end this season well and we’ll think about next year in the winter. But racing against the top riders will be very hard - they don’t make mistakes.”