For the first time since 2008, World Sidecars are back at Donington Park in Leicestershire, the former home of the British Motorcycle Grand Prix and the venue of the first ever World Superbike race. The first motorcycle race at Donington took place on the narrow lanes of the Donington Hall Estate on Whit Monday 1931. In 1933 the track was widened, and became a venue for Grand Prix car racing. Racing at the circuit stopped in 1939 and the venue was used as a military vehicle depot during the war. It was another four decades before motor racing returned to the circuit. Donington has a rich pedigree with the FIM World Sidecar Championship, hosting some of the most memorable races ever in the history of the championship, with classic battles between Steve Webster, Rolf Biland and Egbert Streuer in the late 1980’s.

Once again, as in the last round, the FIM Sidecar World Championship will be supporting World Superbikes. This time, the FIM Sidecar World Championship riders will be joined by teams from the domestic British Championship. A selection of the best teams from the Eastern Airways British Sidecar Championship have been invited to take part and a National Trophy will be awarded on an additional podium.

For two of the leading World Championship teams it will be a hectic weekend, as it was back in 2008! Championship leaders Ben and Tom Birchall, Tim Reeves and Gregory Cluze, currently third in the Championship, will be racing to improve their Championship hopes, then going straight from Donington to another iconic British motorcycle racing venue, the Isle of Man, for the legendary TT races.

The Birchall Brothers had a decisive win at round one in Spain, continuing their great run of race wins from 2013. Brothers Ben and Tom will be hoping they can continue this success, and with Donington being their home track, they will be hoping for a great result.

Second in Spain were Jorg Steinhausen and Axel Kolsch, and they will be looking to stop the Birchall Brothers taking another win. Steinhausen and Kolsch did not have any teething problems in Spain with their new LCR chassis and the BMW engine showing good speed. Last time Jorg raced at Donington, he was on the podium twice, so he knows the circuit well.

Tim Reeves and Gregory Cluze were really pleased with their third place in Spain, as a last minute decision to race in Aragon meant last minute preparation too. Their Kawasaki engine is a new venture for the team. Recent tests have gone well and they are hoping it will be good for them at Donington.

Kurt Hock and Enrico Becker came away from Spain with a fourth place. They worked hard for that placing and they were putting in faster lap times towards the end of the race. A good race at Donington will help them get closer to the leading three teams and boost their title hopes.

After great fifth place in Spain, Uwe Gurck and Manfred Wecheselberger on their ex Steinhausen LCR, BMW are raring to go. Gurck has never been to Donington so he will be hoping the track is to his liking.

Three teams who are hoping that Donington will be better for them than Aragon are Team Streuer, Remse Racing and Team Makkula. Their machines got all entangled together at the first corner on lap one, and the only team to come away with points from Spain was Team Makkula, the other two teams taking a DNF.

Two teams will also be wild card entries for this race. Multiple British Champion Roger Lovelock and Aki Aalto will be racing the LCR chassis with BMW power. The other wild car team is Stephen Kershaw and Robin Wilson from Scotland, who took 2013 away from the sport, enabling driver Kershaw to undergo heart surgery.

Donington Park runs in a clockwise direction and the circuit length is 4.020 km. The race will be over 19 laps, and start time will be 16.10 local time on Sunday.

Entry list click HERE



Text & Pictures Mark Walters
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