Molson Group British Sidecar Championship  (Rounds 16 & 17) – Donington Park

Report and Images by David Gowshall of DEEGEE: Motorsport Photography

September 30th – October 2nd 2022

While the cat’s away ……………..

With championship leaders Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement away in Germany bidding for World Championship success, the weekend’s penultimate round of the Molson Group British Sidecar Championship at Donington Park gave the “mice” (the Christie brothers Sam and Tom) the opportunity to close the 55-point gap at the top of the Championship.

After a run out in Free Practice on Friday morning, Sam and Tom (#34) found themselves at the head of the timings, albeit only by 0.362 of a second from former World Champions and multiple TT winners Ben and Tom Birchall. The Birchalls were making a rare appearance this year in the championship at their “home” circuit. 

Heavy rain on Friday afternoon resulted in the qualifying session being postponed until the following day, but the opportunity for the Christies took a significant blow when they slid off at the Old Hairpin in the cool and greasy early morning conditions. Although they were OK, the outfit was significantly damaged.

Fortunately, the first race of the weekend was not scheduled until 1745 but a quick scan of the damage on the return to the Paddock meant a busy day ensued.  A 200-mile round trip to their home in East Yorkshire for a new fairing and parts for the rear end of the outfit and an engine were loaded into the van for the return trip. 

The huge amount of work required to make the bike competitive was completed and the reward was a superb third place after an impressive ride from the back of the grid.

The two outfits finishing in front of the Christies in Race 1 were 2021 champions the Birchall brothers, Ben and Tom (#16), who have missed most of this season, and the combination of Lee Crawford and Jake Lowther (#117) who continue to impress in their transition to a “long” outfit.

Fourth and fifth were the Rob Biggs and Shane Colbrook (#5) and George Holden and Oscar Lawrence (#93) pairings. The F1 outfit of Luke Williams and Jason Pitt (#91) who were a late “Wild Card” entry,  just pipped the F2 “short” outfit of an impressive John Holden and Ashley Hawes (#2) for sixth spot.

The outside chance of a championship win for Lewis Blackstock and Paddy Rosney seemed to disappear when they suddenly veered off the circuit onto the nearside verge on the approach to the Melbourne Hairpin mid-race.  Both escaped uninjured from what must have been a frightening experience.

The second race of the weekend took place in bright sunshine on Sunday mid-morning, and starting eighth on the grid, the Christie brothers quickly scythed their way through the field to second spot.  The Honda outfit of the Birchall brothers (#16) had broken away from the pack once again and the gap proved too much for the number 34 outfit to bridge.

Lewis Blackstock and Paddy Rosney (#95) after their spectacular “exit left” on the previous day occupied the final podium spot, and in doing so just retaining a faint mathematical hope for championship honours after a race long battle that kept the crowds entertained.

Luke Crawford and Jake Lowther, who pipped George Holden and Oscar Lawrence to 4^th spot, all three outfits crossed the finishing line with just over a second separating them.

Luke Williams and Jason Pitt (#91) recorded a consistent weekend to round off the top six. 

The crews were able to pack up early as the final race was completed before lunch, with the Christie brothers reflecting on what had been a largely successful weekend despite the “off” on the first day.

They go to Brands Hatch for the final round of the championship just 19 points behind the Ellis/Clement pairing, and with double points available for all the races held over the weekend, the title is still very much “up for grabs”.

With only three crews mathematically able to challenge for the title, there will be a real competition amongst the other regular crews to clinch a top six spot in the championship. Andy Peach/Ken Edwards (#4), Craig Hauxwell/Derek Taylor (#89), Rupert Archer/Phil Hyde (#70), Simon Robinson/Mick Fairhurst (#19), George Holden/Oscar Lawrence and even the Birchall brothers (who have only competed at two rounds this season) all have an opportunity to fill the three spots. 

Going into the final round of the British championship, Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement (#6) received a big boost to their confidence when they won both races of the penultimate round of World Championship, held at the Oschersleben Motorsport Arena Sidecar Festival.

In doing so they extended their championship lead to 51 points, but with double points also available at Estoril, the final round of the championship, it is all to play for. 

A significantly improved entry list, bolstered by some first-timers this season provided the bumper crowd with plenty of entertainment over the two days racing.

The next few weeks at Brands Hatch and Estoril promise to be equally exciting, with both championships going down to the wire. 

You can see more of David’s work on his website.