By First opened twenty-seven years ago in 1997, Motorsport Arena Oschersleben last week hosted the Bonovo Action Sidecar Festival.
Three wheeling other worldly fans attending, must have thought this is utopia! There was a hearty mix of World Championship, IDM, Northern Sidecar Cup, International Sidecar Trophy, Camathias Cup races plus Classics demo laps.
Many of last weekend’s participants are well known to road race fans, such as:
Harry Payne/Kevin Rousseau World Sidecars Race 1 victors, second in race two behind their 2024 World title challengers Markus Schlosser/Luca Schmidt. Eight times TT podium finisher, 2013 TT winner alongside Dan Sayle, Tim Reeves (eight times World Champion – third World Sidecars Race 1/ non finishers Race 2) joined by regular sidekick Mark Wilkes, two times race winners at Hengelo this year, Bennie Streuer/Kevin Kolsch (fourth – World Sidecars Race 1 / non finishers Race 2).
There’s also Imatranajo 2024 race winners Pekka Paivarinta (five times World Champion) with Adam Christie (P5-P3 World Sidecars races). 2024 ‘Peter Chapman Trophy winner for top newcomer driver at TT 2024, 2022 & 2023 World Champion Todd Ellis with fastest three wheeling female passenger/competitor in history, Emmanuelle Clement (P7/P4 World Sidecars races).
Chimay lap record holders and newly crowned IDM 2024 Champions, father/son team Ted Peugeot/Vincent Peugeot (P9/P7 World Sidecars races), experienced TT pilot Paul Leglise aside Marjorie Cescutti, (P8 – World Sidecars Race 2).
Circuit De Chimay explorers earlier in the year, UK Sidecar pilot Luke Williams (P11 in World Sidecars Race Race 1) with Ruben Janssens, Chimay and Hengelo, Varsselring exponents Raymond Leijdekkers/Calvin Leijdekkers (P18/P15 – World Sidecars races).
Outside World Championship activities, alternative race fields contained the likes of TT 2025 newcomer Steve Kershaw (confirmed to link up with Stuart Clark for the TT) & 2024 TT podium finisher as debutant Rhys Gibbons.
Former TT drivers Mike Roscher and Dean Nicholls, Imatranajo podium finishers Petri Makkula/Jaana Soopa, ex solo racer, the Horice experienced Chris Baert, two times this meeting, Camathias Cup race conquerors, Seppe Noel/Kobe Dehouck (racing CV includes wins at Chimay, Hengelo and Gedinne) and many, many others.
Respect to all three-wheeled talents, especially those mixing purpose-built circuit racing craft with pure road racing.
It is important to mention at the end of this article, that the 2024 World Sidecars title resolution between above featured drivers Schlosser (Markus) and Payne (Harry), will be resolved at Estoril next month (8th-10th).
Words by Jan Vavra
