Tag: World Championship
Updates from Le Mans World Championship
Mark’s office has all the updates so far from Le Mans and I’m sure will have for the full weekend here.
Harry Payne Interview on Manx Radio
From yesterday –
Today’s guest is Harry Payne, a racer with speed in his veins.
Coming from a true racing family, Harry moved to the Isle of Man in 2016 to chase his dream on the legendary Mountain Course.
He started as a sidecar passenger, teaming up with icons like Dave Molyneux, before making the switch to the driver’s seat—a move that proved to be a game-changer.
Harry’s journey has been nothing short of incredible and in 2024, alongside Kevin Rousseau, he clinched the FIM Sidecar World Championship in a nail-biting season finale.
Now, as he gears up to defend that title in 2025, we get the inside story on the highs, the challenges, and the passion that drives him forward.
The FIM and Motor Presse Stuttgart extend their partnership for 2024
FROM SVETLANA AT THE FIM
CLICK READ MORE FOR LATEST PROVISIONAL CALENDAR
After a favourable first season of promoting the FIM Sidecar World Championship, Motor Presse Stuttgart and the FIM will continue their partnership for 2024.
The integration of the FIM Sidecar World Championship into the schedule of the German IDM Championship as well as the live streaming service and promotion of the series, saw twenty-eight teams contest the 2023 campaign which proved to be a real success.
The 2024 calendar will feature six races in five countries. The season-opening round at Le Mans will be organised by the FIM and the other five events by Motor Presse Stuttgart.
TOM BIRCHALL ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT
From the TT Press Office..
Tom Birchall, the most successful Sidecar passenger in TT history, has announced his immediate retirement from racing.
Alongside older brother Ben, the Birchalls have taken 14 TT race victories and been the dominant force on three wheels over the last decade, winning every single race that they finished since 2013 with only 3 DNF’s blotting a near-perfect run of results.
Over that period the pair have repeatedly re-written the record books, recording the first ever 117, 118, 119, and 120mph laps of the TT Course in the Sidecar class.
Continue readingLive timing Estoril this weekend, timetable, YouTube links
Click here for the live timing
From Mark D…
A change to the schedule today
Qualifying one 1000
Qualifying two 1255
Sprint race 1540
YouTube for race one
And the Gold Race
Championship joy in Estoril for Ellis/Clement as Schlosser/Fries fight all the way
Huge thanks to Mark Walters for all images!
Todd and Emmanuelle (Winners of 2022 World AND British Championship)
Marcus Schlosser and Marcel Fries (2nd in World Championship, 2021 Champions)
The last weekend in October is often tricky for its weather in Portugal, and we were not disappointed. Track temperature on arrival hovered around twenty-two with an ambient of twenty. Humidity was also high with periodic rain forecast for the weekend. This cliff-hanger finale was poised to give victory to Santander Salt’s Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement with their fifty-one-point advantage. Their goal surely must have been to put the title out of reach of rivals and defending champions Markus Schlosser and Marcel Fries in the opening race. Double points in both races however were a major consideration for both contenders. This factor could also radically change the complexion of the table further down the order.
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Estoril hosts gripping title decider 28 October – 1 November
For the second year in a row, the final round of the 2022 FIM Sidecar World Championship travels to Estoril, Portugal for the closing two races of the season. The event also marks the swansong of Roger Body’s RKB-F1 organisation as promoter of the series. Roger is standing down after a lifetime involved in sidecar racing both as a competitor and as figurehead.
On behalf of the entire international sidecar racing community, we thank Roger for his efforts and commitment over many years, and more recently persevering through a difficult time as promoter of two championships.
Todd and the hiding Emmanuelle
Sidecar Festival to provide classic backdrop for round seven
The Motorsport Arena of Oschersleben, mid-way between Hanover and Berlin is the scene of the penultimate round in the FIM Championship 2022.
The popular and demanding 2.3-mile-long circuit will welcome Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement (Santander Salt Yamaha) as series leaders on September 30-October 2 after a six week break in World Championship activities.
Continue readingSantander Salt to bow out of FIM Sidecar World Championship
Following last week’s news that RKB-F1 is to withdraw from sidecar championship activities at the end of the 2022 season, agreement has now been reached with the FIM to formally cease involvement as promoter of that series too.
Roger Body of RKB-F1 Motorsport and CEO of Santander Salt the series sponsor, had this to say – “After much deliberation and with regret I have decided that the time has come for me retire from the front line in organising the world and British Sidecar championships. I have enjoyed immensely the involvement with the series and the people and friendships formed along the way. I would have liked to achieve more but I think it is time for young blood and maybe some fresh thinking. I wish all those involved in the future of the sport the best of luck. My personal thanks go to the FIM and all those who played a part in helping me realise my ambitions.”
The FIM were fully supportive and appreciative of Roger’s decision, and completely understanding of the circumstances which contributed to it.
The FIM President Jorge Viegas said – “On behalf of the FIM, I would like to thank Roger Body and the entire Santander Salt team for having deployed their best efforts and contributed with strong passion to the growth of this spectacular championship in an extremely difficult context. The FIM will try to find a new promoter for the FIM Sidecar World Championship from 2023 onwards.”
As stated in our previous announcement, our best efforts will be applied to the finalisation of the 2022 season for both the British and the World series, with lots of racing still to do.
Both championships are wide open, with double points applicable in the final rounds at Brands Hatch and Estoril respectively.
I know I speak for all the sidecar teams, fans, spectators, TV audiences and Santander Salt support staff when I thank Roger Body for his vision, hard work and enthusiasm over many years in keeping the sport of sidecar racing alive at the highest level. No-one could possibly have done more.
Thank you, Roger.
Media Matters – Barry Nutley barry.nutley@btinternet.com
Ellis and Kershaw take one each in Donington showcase event
The huge crowd at the Donington Park World SBK round witnessed stunning action from the Superside teams on one of the hottest weekends of the year.
Twelve crews had firm entries for this crucial Donington event, but UK Border Control officials eliminated French father and son team Ted and Vincent Peugeot before they even left France. Young Ted was prohibited from travelling due to his passport not having enough “safety margin”, in that it expired a matter of weeks from his due travel date. Once again, post Brexit legislation dealt a blow to sport, and to a particularly talented but cash-strapped crew.
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Sidecars raring to go at Donington
FIM Sidecar World Championship. Donington Park preview.
From Mark Walters – The FIM Preview for the Donington Park World Championship round
The 4.02km Donington Park circuit in the heart of England will host the sixth round of the FIM Sidecar World Championship, again as with Assen earlier in the year supporting the World Super Bike championship for solo motorcycles.
Championship leaders, with 210 points, Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement will want to forget about their last race in Croatia. They encountered problems with the front of their machine and scored a DNF. A far cry from their race one victory, which was taken with them well in control. But they will want to come back here to Donington Park to try and replicate their first GP win, which was here last year. They have stood on the top spot of the podium regularly since then but the first win is always special.
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Ellis and Clement do the double in the Ardennes
Photos from the great Mark Walters
No fewer than seventeen crews took to the grid for this, the third round of the 2022 FIM Sidecar World Championship.
Absent on Isle of Man TT duty were Tim Reeves/Kevin Rousseau and Harry Payne/Mark Wilkes. Ordinarily, it might easily have been a case of “when the cat’s away”, but the two crews at the top of the standings maintained the pace which got them there and starred once more in Belgium.
Free practice saw Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement (Santander Salt Yamaha) edge out Markus Schlosser/Marcel Fries (Gustoil Yamaha) and Benny Streuer/Kevin Kolsch (Bonovo Action Yamaha) to the tune of half a second.
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