After three race weekends, the Sidecar World Championship is in full swing, with Ben and Tom Birchall (Wyckham Blackwell/Birchall/LCR Honda) currently leading the standings. Hot on their heels, however, are reigning world champions Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clément (Team Ellis/Clément/LCR Yamaha). Their goal for this season is clear: they want to defend their title.
Heading into the race weekend in Spielberg, Styria, Austria, Ellis and Clément sit in second place in the overall standings, 28 points behind the Birchall brothers. With four race weekends remaining, including rounds in Assen and Estoril, anything is still possible in the championship. Todd Ellis agrees and is looking forward to the upcoming races with motivation: “The upcoming tracks suit us very well and offer excellent opportunities to score points and close the gap.” The close-knit duo has its sights firmly set on the fiercely contested top spot.
Another source of motivation for Ellis is this year’s strong field of riders. “The level of competition is really high, which gives us even more motivation to win,” says Ellis, welcoming this year’s challenges. The competition is fiercer, which leads to personal and technical growth as well as the potential for peak performance, the Briton adds.
It remains to be seen whether Ellis will be in top form this weekend and able to perform at his best. According to the weather forecast, both race days are expected to be rainy. But the Brit from North Kelsey, who is used to rain in northern England, seems unfazed by the predicted inclement weather. “I don’t care what the weather is like,” says Ellis. After all, there’s nothing he can do about it anyway. That’s why Todd Ellis takes it as it comes—at least before a race weekend, the weather app on his phone stays closed.