Ben and Tom Birchall

Ben and Tom Birchall
Ben Birchall (driver) with Tom (passenger) racing at Donington Park in 2015 in a F1 sidecar
NationalityEnglish
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Isle of Man TT career
TTs contested22 (2009-2023)
TT wins14
First TT win2013 Sidecar TT Race B
Last TT win2023 Sidecar TT Race B
TT podiums16
TT Sidecar lap record holders (120.645 mph, 2023)

Ben Birchall (born 21 January 1977)[1] and Tom Birchall, (born 23 December 1986),[1] from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, are English motorcycle-with-sidecar road race World Championship-winning competitors in both the F1 (2009 and 2018 seasons) and F2 categories (2016, officially known as F2 Sidecar World Trophy, using 600 cc engines running concurrently with 1000-engined outfits) and again in the 2017 season – when all competitors used 600 engines.[2]

The brothers are 14-time TT winners, having won in 2013, 2015 (twice), 2016, 2017 (twice), 2018 (twice), 2019 (twice), 2022 (twice) and 2023 (twice)[3][4][1] [2]. They set absolute lap and race records in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2023 with an average speed of 120.645mph. [3]

During the 2017 season the reigning F2 sidecar champions campaigned in the World championship and British Championship (600 Cup) as Team Mansfield with IEG Racing, using an LCR F1 outfit powered by a Yamaha R6 600 cc engine.[5] For the 2017 Isle of Man TT races in June and the island's Southern 100 races in July they used a smaller (F2) LCR short chassis, as required by the regulations, powered by a Honda 600 cc engine.[6][7]

In May 2019, Ben was elected to Mansfield District Council in the Kings Walk ward, representing the Mansfield Independent Forum.

On 19 December 2023, Tom Birchall announced his immediate retirement from racing, although Ben still planned to compete in 2024 with another passenger.[8] Experienced French racer Kevin Rousseau was confirmed in early 2024 to be his teammate during their upcoming TT races campaign.[9][10]

  1. ^ a b Birchall Racing official website Retrieved 19 December 2017
  2. ^ FIM Sidecar World Championship & F2 Sidecar World Trophy FIM (www.fim-live.com) Retrieved 19 December 2017
  3. ^ BBC Sport, Retrieved 19 December 2017
  4. ^ Competitor Profile, IoM TT official site Retrieved 19 December 2017
  5. ^ LCR sidecar official website, F1. Retrieved 19 December 2017
  6. ^ LCR sidecar official website, F2. 19 December 2017
  7. ^ Birchall Racing official website Retrieved 19 December 2017
  8. ^ "Roads: Tom Birchall announces retires from racing". www.motorcyclenews.com. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  9. ^ New era as Rousseau joins Birchall iomttraces.com, 31 January 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024
  10. ^ Isle of Man TT: French passenger joins Birchall sidecar team BBC, 31 January 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024