It has been just under 10 weeks since the accident involving Ben and Tom Birchall (Wyckham Blackwell by Birchall) at the Red Bull Ring, in which both brothers were injured. While Ben Birchall was back on the grid just two weeks later at Assen alongside Callum Crowe, Tom had to watch from the pit lane due to a severe ligament injury in his right shoulder.
With one week to go before the Sidecar Festival in Oschersleben—where the FIM Superside will also hold its penultimate race—it’s now official: Tom Birchall will once again compete in the sidecar with his brother. “Ben and I did a few practice laps a few days ago, and I feel ready for the upcoming races,” says Tom Birchall, who has been working steadily over the past few weeks to get healthy in time—though that wasn’t a sure thing: “The recovery was difficult and it was touch-and-go, but we had a plan and we gave it our all,” says the 36-year-old Brit. He’s not quite 100 percent fit yet, but he says he’s close.
For the two brothers, this is a crucial step in their quest for the world championship title. They are currently in second place in the overall standings, just nine points behind Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement (Team Ellis/Clement). With four races remaining, the world championship is still wide open.
The Sidecar Festival will take place this coming weekend, October 7–8, in Oschersleben. While the 2023 season finale for the IDM solo classes was held in Hockenheim at the end of September, the IDM Sidecar champions will be crowned in the Magdeburg Börde region. For the FIM Superside, this is the penultimate race of the season. The grand finale will be held in Estoril, Portugal, from October 27–29. Then we’ll find out whether Ben and Tom Birchall can secure their fifth world championship title, or whether the victory will go to defending champions Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement.
Tickets and more information about the Sidecar Festival are available here.