100th anniversary of first Sidecar TT to be celebrated with parade lap
A parade lap to mark 100 years since the first Sidecar TT will be held on the final racing day of the 2023 Isle of Man TT, featuring three outfits.
The 2023 Isle of Man TT races will mark 100 years since the first Sidecar TT. To commemorate the milestone, there will be a parade lap featuring past and present stars of three-wheeled racing on the Isle of Man.
The parade lap will take place on the final day of racing at the 2023 Isle of Man TT, 10 June, and will feature the following partnerships and outfits:
- Dave Molyneux/Dan Sayle - 1989 Bregazzi Yamaha
- Ben Birchall/Tom Birchall - 2023 LCR Honda
- Rob Fisher/Sarah Stokoe - 1996 Baker Yamaha
Dave Molyneux is the most victorious sidecar pilot in the history of the TT, with 17 wins to his name. His passenger, Dan Sayle, is not successful to the same extent, but his eight TT victories mean there is no questioning his ability on the Isle of Man.
The Ben and Tom Birchall pairing has become one of the most iconic pairings in the recent editions of the Sidecar TT. Each with 12 wins to their name, including the 2022 edition, they will surely be the favourites to make it 13, and possibly even 14, wins in 2023.
Rob Fisher is the only pilot out of the three to be on the parade lap who will not be competing at this year’s TT. Nonetheless, his 10 wins make him a certified Sidecar TT legend, and third on the all-time wins list. He continues to compete at a national level, in which Sarah Stokoe is his passenger.
Sidecar TT - An historical summary
Although it has been 100 years since the first Sidecar TT, the history of the race has been more complicated than a straight run to the centenary. Pressure on the ACU from manufacturers led to the removal of sidecars from the 1926 itinerary, and they did not return until 1954. Even then, though, they were on the shorter, 10.79-mile Clypse Course, and it was not until 1960 that the Sidecar TT was back on the Snaefell Course.
By the time Molyneux was on the Sidecar TT scene, it was once again in the midst of change. The existing 750cc and 1,300cc bikes were beginning to become too fast, and therefore too dangerous in the eyes of many.
As a result, they were replaced by 350cc two-stroke machines, but these were immediately replaced by the 600cc four-strokes that we are familiar with now.
In 1990, a sidecar outfit lapped the TT circuit in more than 100mph, and 33 years later the 120mph barrier seems destined to be broken. The Birchall brothers hold the current lap record at 119.250mph.
The three crews taking part in the parade on 10 June will also be filmed for a new documentary that is set to be released on TT+ later this year.
