Author: Steve English

2020 World Championship Enrolment open

Entries now Live on the FIM website , thanks Mike.

After another stunning season of competition for the FIM Superside last year we are now ready to kick off 2020.

2019 FIM Sidecar World Championship – Pannoniaring (Hungary) © Mark Walters

As previously announced, the first big news of the starting season is
Santander Salt Ltd & RKB Motorsport, Roger Body’s companies are joining FIM’ s force to promote and develop the FIM Sidecar World Championship.

Despite some recent changes due to Coronavirus, and subject to further developments, the 2020 FIM Sidecar Word Championship Calendar with some exciting changes and additions is now confirmed. 

DOWNLOAD HERE

  • 16-17 May – Lausitzring, Germany
  • 27-28 June – Pannoniaring, Hungary
  • 24-26 July – Brands Hatch, Great Britain 
  • 29-30 August – Rijeka, Croatia
  • 05 September – Le Mans, France
  • 17-20 September – Assen, The Netherlands
  • 03-04 October – Oschersleben, Germany
  • 24-25 October – Estoril, Portugal

Also, thanks to the new promoter, we are pleased to announce the launch of the Entry Portal for prospective competitors – CLICK HERE.

Molson British Sidecars

2020 Season almost ready for blast-off

From Barry Nutley

It has been a long, wet winter, but the wait is almost over.

Before the teams assemble at the Oulton Park Circuit in Cheshire for the opening round, most of them will have spent an exhausting off-season building new machinery, and many will also have taken the annual pilgrimage to Val de Vienne for pre-season testing.

The registered number of teams for the series at the time of going to press, sits at twenty-five, with virtually all of those indicating a full season.

Add to those numbers any late entries, and the inevitable wild-cards from overseas, and it is a very promising line-up for British Championship honours.

Whilst reigning World Champions Tim Reeves and Mark Wilkes once again are placing sole focus on the FIM World Championship, now also promoted by RKB-F1, the former World Champions and multiple TT winners Ben and Tom Birchall have announced their intention to stay here in the UK to concentrate on their LCR chassis business, the Isle of Man TT, and the Molson Group series.

This is good news for British fans, and will give the Mansfield based brothers a real chance to lift the title with consistent UK appearances. Apart from 600cc Cup success in 2016, the British premier sidecar championship has hitherto not been high on their list or priorities.

The increased profile of sidecar racing in the UK, and the wide exposure given by the live Eurosport TV coverage, has resulted in a far greater sense of achievement and reward for those crews who aspire to be champions.

There is however, an ever-increasing number of crews lining up to claim the prize.

Among them, the Santander Salt sponsored outfits of reigning champions Todd Ellis and Charlie Richardson, and 2018 champion Steve Kershaw, who is breaking in a new passenger in the shape of the very enthusiastic and capable Jason Pitt.

Both these teams will be combining the domestic challenge with a full onslaught for FIM World honours.

The same is true of the Silicone Barnes Racing outfits of John Holden/Jake Lowther and Lewis Blackstock/Paddy Rosney. The distinctive blue and white livery of these crews was omni-present at the sharp end of the British Championship last season, so expect nothing less in 2020.

A second consecutive season following a year out with injury is very much on the cards for Chris Walker and Ashley Hawes. The TAG Racing Yamaha duo were really in the groove at the end of last year, and Chris is hungry for victory. The former Superbike and solo star has yet to climb to the top step of the podium, but the signs are all there that 2020 could be the year that happens. Walker and Hawes will also be targeting selected World rounds, so the British presence on the FIM stage will be a strong one.

Former double champions Ricky Stevens and Ryan Charlwood have ended any speculation about their future together, by once again lining up in Kawasaki colours as part of the Massingberd Mundy official Green Team. They are keen to reclaim the titles they won on the 1000cc bike, being strong advocates of the successful move to 600cc power. Expect also to see them doubling up with World Championship rides where they see fit. Team-mate is once again Ben Holland, who this year is joined by Jed Pilmoor-Brady. A former regular at the front, Ben has lost none of his speed, and shows a real passion to get back in the winning groove.

Young talent comes in the form of Tommy Philp, now partnered with Tom Bryant. Sponsored by Roberts Construction and Tops Autos, the Yamaha pair showed their worth as newcomers towards the end of last season, and will almost definitely be among the front runners from the word go this year.

Rob Biggs and Jeroen Schmitz are another young pairing with huge potential, and are now well accustomed to each other and the  Taurus Tools outfit, although they are now favouring Yamaha power over the tried and trusted Honda CBR 600.

There is now strength in depth all down the field with a strong blend of experience and youthful talent. Thirty crews on most grids will indeed be a spectacle, and as the final plans are put in place for the new season, it is truly a mouth-watering prospect lying ahead of us.

We will be previewing the opening round at Oulton Park shortly, and updating you with any last-minute changes and rider additions.

Meanwhile, work goes on behind the scenes to fine-tune and tweak what will undeniably be a stellar year for sidecar racing both here and on the world stage.

Bemsee

Teams going to Brands Hatch with Bemsee next weekend, a message from Jon.

A message from Jon Restall, please take a look if you’re going to be teaching at Brands Hatch next weekend.

Any sidecars attending Brands Hatch this weekend please can you park as per paddock plan as there is a large entry this weekend and space is tight.

Please park non racing vehicles out of the way ie caravans etc behind awnings etc thank you

Entry form International F1 & F2 sidecar races TT-circuit Assen May 22-24 2020 available!

Entry form International F1 & F2 sidecar races TT-circuit Assen May 22-24 2020 available!

Register now! The entree fee can be payed later.

Join these International races at the Cathedral of Speed and race for the F1 or F2 podium
(*Belgian teams will race for the Belgian championship as well)

Event: Ducati Club Race 2020

Schedule:
Friday May 22 Free practice (25 min) and Qualifying 1
Saturday May 23 Qualifying 2 and Race 1
Sunday May 24 Race 2 (early afternoon)

Entry fee € 375

For more info or the entry form please send an email to sidecar.racing.international@gmail.com

Sidecar legend Sayle announces retirement

From Phil Wain.

Isle of Man Sidecar TT legend Dan Sayle has today (Monday) announced his retirement from all forms of motorcycle racing with immediate effect. 

The 38-year old, an eight-time TT winner as passenger for Dave Molyneux, Klaus Klaffenbock and Tim Reeves, suffered life-changing injuries after an accident at Ballaspur during the 2018 Lightweight Classic TT race and although doctors feared he may never walk again, he remarkably fought back to race at last year’s event. However, the legacy of his injuries mean he is no longer able to compete at the level he’s become accustomed to, either on two wheels or three, and unable to withstand another crash, so has decided the time has now come to call time on his illustrious career. 

Hailing from Sulby, Sayle started his career on two wheels but in 2002 he competed in the TT for the first time, lapping at more than 104mph on his way to 12th place with Glyn Jones in the second Sidecar race, and just a year later he took his first podium after finishing third with Greg Lambert. His reputation rapidly soared and he linked up with Dave Molyneux the following year, going on to not only win both TT races but also set a new outright lap record.

A year later, the duo took another win and increased their lap record to 116.04mph, shattering their previous record of 113.17mph. In 2007, he joined forces with another Manxman, Nick Crowe, and although they were forced to retire from both races, they raised the outright lap record to 116.667mph, a mark that would remain unbroken for eight years.

The next two years saw him reunited with Molyneux with another victory coming in 2009 whilst a move to the chair of Klaffenbock in 2010 saw him enjoy more success with three victories at the TT coming in the next four races. 

Reeves then recruited him for the 2012 and 2013 seasons, with Sayle’s eighth victory coming in the first race of 2013. Two further podiums followed in 2015, this time with John Holden, with his 14th and final sidecar TT podium coming in the opening race of 2017 when he took third place with Molyneux. 

His record of eight sidecar TT wins as a passenger is the joint second highest of all time alongside Rick Long, second only to Tom Birchall’s ten victories, whilst his 14 podiums is the most in the history of the event, a record he shares with German legend Wolfgang Kalauch. 

Remarkably, at the conclusion of the 2015 TT, Sayle held four of the top six fastest laps ever seen on the Mountain Course with Crowe, Holden, Klaffenbock and Reeves and had also lapped at more than 116mph with three drivers – Crowe, Molyneux and Holden.

Having taken wins with Molyneux (4), Klaffenbock (3), Reeves (1) and additional podiums with Holden and Lambert, it’s clear to see why he’s rightly recognised as one of the greatest TT sidecar passengers of all time.

Four Southern 100 Championship wins were also taken but as well as his three-wheel exploits, Sayle was also extremely successful on two wheels and took second in the 2006 Manx Grand Prix Lightweight Newcomers race finishing behind Michael Dunlop. He also won the Isle of Man 125cc Championship that year. In 2008, he took second place behind Ian Lougher in the 125cc Ultra Lightweight TT race, held on the Billown circuit, and then took an excellent win on a 250cc Honda in the Lightweight Manx Grand Prix. He repeated the victory the following year when, lapping at more than 114mph, he defeated Neil Kent by just 0.23s in one of the closest races ever witnessed on the Mountain Course. 

Rostrums continued to flow at the Southern 100 and he showed he could also master the four-strokes with third place coming in the 2011 Senior Manx Grand Prix on a 600cc Yamaha. Seventh place in the inaugural Formula One Classic TT on Bob Jackson’s RC30 Honda continued to show his amazing versatility. A third Manx Grand Prix victory came in 2016 when he won the Lightweight race once more, this time riding a 250cc Moto 3 machine, whilst another 125cc Isle of Man Championship was added in 2017. A lap of almost 118mph on a 250cc Yamaha saw him lie in second place to Bruce Anstey in the 2017 Lightweight Classic TT race before he was forced to retire on the third lap and although the crash at the same meeting the following year left him fighting for his life, he made an emotional return last September and took sixth and seventh in the Junior and Lightweight races. 

Speaking about his decision, Sayle said; “I’ve had a real good run, better than most, but sadly due to a few factors like my ongoing injuries from the crash at the 2018 Classic TT, I cannot withstand another tumble. I always said that when I felt concerned or wasn’t enjoying it the same I would stop and whilst this has been a long decision over the winter and one I’ve taken with lots of advice from the doctors, my decision is final. If I were to carry on, it would be selfish and I don’t want the feeling of leaving a hole in the lives of my loved ones.”“After the injuries I received in 2018, my finest moment in racing is probably last year’s Classic TT after lying in hospital not even knowing if I would even be able to walk again. I rode as hard as I could and sat in my van for a good while afterwards in pain. It was my hardest race ever and I pretty much knew then it was over so I’m happy to bow out on a high. I’ve had so many people help me over the years and it would take me another year to count all of them but I’d like to thank everybody that has helped me in any form over my time in racing. I have other avenues I want to go down now and enjoy my life doing what I like doing and my other interests. I’ve had a good run and it’s time to slow down.” 

Pictures by Stephen Davison (SD), Mark Walters (MW) and Phil Wain (PW)