JASON Doyle has labelled the Great Britain team as “very weak’’ and questioned the competition’s format ahead of his country’s World Cup race-off tonight.

The format means the host nation are automatically through to the final at Belle Vue’s National Stadium in Manchester tomorrow night.

But Australian ace Doyle believes that needs to be changed so home nations have to qualify like the rest of the teams.

“I think it is wrong the home nation is seeded straight through, they need to change this rule,’’ said the Swindon Robins skipper, whose club boss Alun Rossiter leads the Great Britain side

“Great Britain are very weak and to be in a final I think they’ve all got to qualify. It’s very difficult this year, if it was in Poland, Sweden or Denmark it would have been easier because we would have had Great Britain in one of the race offs." 

Australia will have to pit their wits against United States, Denmark and Russia when they go head to head for a place in the final in tonight’s race-off, also in Manchester and Doyle hopes his nation will have enough to join Great Britain, Poland and Sweden in the main event tomorrow evening.

“The boys know what to do and they know the set-ups, they have all ridden at Belle Vue before,’’ he said. “I think I’m the only one who hasn’t so I think it’s going to be tough but we have a good chance.

“Getting 12 points in Sweden (in Tuesday’s qualifier) wasn’t bad and I did have one bad ride which was off gate four. It gets very difficult to get off that gate.

“I need to do as good I have been doing lately, I’ve got a lot of pressure on myself but I think the team will do well.

“I’m really looking forward to tonight and hopefully we can make it into the final.”

Despite his confidence, Doyle remains aware of the threat posed by his opposition despite of the news that Denmark will be without Nicki Pedersen and Russia will be without Grigory Laguta.

“Denmark are going to be difficult, I’ve heard they’ve got no Nicki (Pederson) but I wish they did have Nicki because he would probably make them a bit weaker,’’ added Doyle.

“Russia are without Grigory (Laguta) so they’re not as strong, but these boys are very fast in international speedway.

“It’s a difficult task for Australia but we are all up for it.

“Just making it to the final is a huge achievement for Australia, we know our job at hand and we are all going to go out, give it 100 per cent and do our best for our country.”