MOTUL SIDECAR TT - 2026 TOP 10 PAIRINGS
The top ten drivers and passengers for the two three‑lap Motul Sidecar Races at the 2026 Isle of Man TT Races have now been announced.
Unlike the solos, there are no seeds in the three-wheel class, and as in 2025, the starting order will be determined by qualifying position. The fastest driver and passenger pairing during qualifying will be first to leave the line in both races, followed by the second and third quickest, and so on.
This places even greater emphasis on progression and performance during qualifying week, as start position for each outfit could prove pivotal in determining race results. All crews will be keen to bank a strong qualifying lap early in the week to secure a top ten start before refining set-up and increasing pace further.
2026 Sidecar TT Number One: Ryan and Callum Crowe
As they did in 2025, last year’s double race winners Ryan and Callum Crowe will carry the number one plate, and proved last year they’re more than happy to lead from the front. Having won the last four races held, and with the outright lap record of 121.021mph in their back pocket, they will be looking for more of the same this time around on the Opul/Kelproperties LCR Honda, which has undergone several changes ahead of their latest campaign.
Seven-time podium finishers Pete Founds and Jevan Walmsley are number two on the entry with their Marin Motorsport/AWB Engineering LCR Honda. They missed both races last year after an incident at Rhencullen 2, so completing both races strongly will be a priority, but being only one of three crews to have broken the 120mph, their threat remains high.
That rings true for the number three pairing of Ben Birchall and new passenger Mark Wilkes on the Hager/Wyckham Blackwell LCR Honda. The 14-time winner has yet to taste victory since brother Tom retired at the end of the 2023 season but has taken three second-place finishes since, and believes the addition of the experienced Wilkes could be the missing ingredient. A 15th TT victory cannot be ruled out.
Birchall Racing's new pairing Ben Birchall and Mark Wilkes
At number four is Lewis Blackstock, who has been knocking on the door of a podium finish for some time. He continues alongside Oscar Lawrence, with the pair racing under the DAO/Dave Holden Racing banner on their LCR Yamaha.
Like Blackstock and Lawrence, Lee Crawford and Scott Hardie have lapped consistently above 115mph in recent years and, having finished third in both races last year, they will be aiming for repeat performances or better on their Team ARC/SJH Bodyworks LCR Kawasaki.
They will run number five in 2026, with number six taken by another duo who have impressed in recent seasons, Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clément. The double World Champions secured a brace of fourth-place finishes last year and, in their third TT, will be targeting a maiden podium on their Brookland Sand & Aggregates CES Yamaha.
Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clément target a maiden podium
Number seven sees the welcome return of 2013 TT race winner and eight-time World Champion Tim Reeves, the Kent driver, joined this year by France’s Melanie Farnier. She already has top ten finishes to her name and, after Clement, is the second-fastest female passenger around the Mountain Course.
The remainder of the top ten is completed by three drivers who all impressed on their TT debuts in 2025. Lining up at number eight, George Holden secured a brace of sixth-place finishes on his maiden appearance, and he is joined this year on the Barnes Racing LCR Honda by former podium finisher Jake Lowther.
They are followed by Kieran Clarke and Andrew Johnson, who return on the Eddy’s Moto Tadcaster CES Yamaha. They were revelations on their debut last year, finishing fifth in both races, with Clarke setting the fastest-ever lap by a newcomer driver at 114.884mph. Further progress will be the target this year, with a podium finish not beyond their reach.
The top ten is completed by reigning British F2 Sidecar Champions Stephen Kershaw and Rhys Gibbons on the Express Tyres/Quattro Group LCR Honda. A retirement in race one was followed by a strong seventh-place finish in race two last year, and the former World Championship race winner will be looking to build on that during his second TT campaign.
2026 Motul Sidecar TT Seeded Top 10
1 - Ryan Crowe / Callum Crowe | Opul / Kelproperties | LCR Honda
2 - Pete Founds / Jevan Walmsley | Marin Motorsport / AWB Engineering | LCF Honda
3 - Ben Birchall / Mark Wilkes | Hager / Wyckham Blackwell | LCR Honda
4 - Lewis Blackstock / Oscar Lawrence | DAO / Dave Holden Racing | LCR Yamaha
5 - Lee Crawford / Scott Hardie | Team ARC / SJH Bodyworks | LCR Kawasaki
6 - Todd Ellis / Emmanuelle Clément | Brookland Sand & Aggregates | CES Yamaha
7 - Tim Reeves / Melanie Farnier | Carl Cox Motorsport | LCR Honda
8 - George Holden / Jake Lowther | Barnes Racing | LCR Honda
9 - Kieran Clarke / Andrew Johnson | Eddy’s Moto Tadcaster | CES Yamaha
10 - Stephen Kershaw / Rhys Gibbons | Express Tyres / Quattro Group | LCR Honda
