British Championship Sidecars slide into action at Silverstone This weekend, September 23-25, sees the Eastern Airways British F1 Sidecar Championship head to the famous Silverstone Grand Prix circuit for their penultimate round and if the action last time out at Donington Park was anything to go by, then everyone’s set fair for a highly thrilling, and entertaining, three days. The two races at Donington two weeks ago saw both 10-lap races serve up a terrific spectacle with the action coming thick and fast from start to finish, not just for the race wins but right the way through the pack. Indeed, the leaderboard positions were as equally fought as the top three! Honours were shared at the Leicestershire venue between Tim Reeves/Gregory Cluze and Ben/Tom Birchall and the results further strengthened the former’s grip on the title. With races still to go at both Silverstone and the double points round at Mondello Park next month, Reeves has a formidable looking lead as he bids to regain the title he won 12 months ago but, mathematically, others are still in with a chance. However, his task is made easier this weekend by the Birchall’s being absent due to them chasing World Championship glory at Le Mans, France and so current Championship runners-up, Scott Lawrie and James Neave, will have to defeat Reeves and Cluze themselves and hope their rival hits some misfortune if they are to keep their slim Championship hopes alive. A DNF at Donington hit them hard but they’re sure to be fighting it out at the front once more. As mentioned, third placed Birchall won’t be lining up at Silverstone and that gives the chasing pack a great opportunity to overhaul them. Roger Lovelock/Rick Lawrence are currently sitting in fourth place overall, only 24 points adrift and if they can continue the fine form they showed at Donington, where they took a season’s best second place in race one, they have every chance of moving up a place. At the same time though, they’re under huge pressure from the equally consistent Andy Peach/Charlie Richardson who are only three points further back and these two crews should again be looking to out-do each other for the podium positions. Phil Bell slipped off the back of these two slightly after spinning in the second race at Donington but he cannot be ruled out either. Other crews expected to feature prominently include Ben Bygrave/Calum Lawson, Ben Holland/Lee Watson, Barry James/Jamie Winn, John Clarke/Stuart Graham and Craig Chaplow/Patrick Farrance, the latter having scored two fine top six finishes at Donington. Keep an eye too on Gary Smith/Justin Sharp who scored their best result of the year last time out with eighth in the second race. With just two rounds to go, Reeves is looking un-catchable on 350 points with Lawrie (198), Birchall (191), Lovelock (167), Peach (164) and Bell (148) rounding out the top six. Qualifying takes place at 13.25 on Saturday, with the first 9-lap race scheduled to take place later that day at 18.00. The second, like Donington, is set for 10.30 on the main Sunday race day.