Isle of Man TT Sidecar ace Tom Birchall retires from racing

Tom and his brother Ben Birchall have been the dominant force in Sidecars at the Isle of Man for the past decade.

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In their time together, driver Ben and passenger Tom have won 14 TT races and eclipsed the outright Sidecar lap record on multiple occasions.

The 2023 event was a banner one for the Birchalls, who smashed the 120mph barrier twice during race week – setting the record now at 120.645mph – and doing so on the 100th anniversary of Sidecars at the TT.

Tom Birchall retires as the most successful Sidecar passenger ever at the TT as well as a four-time world champion.

“It’s not been an easy decision to make by any means,” Tom Birchall said.

“But it’s now 20 years since I first got in an outfit alongside Ben and it’s 10 years since we took our first TT win – something we dreamt about as kids when we used to come on family holidays to watch.

Photo by: ttracesofficial/Pacemaker Press

Ben and Tom Birchall, Sidecar

“And so, having achieved what we have and having broken that 120mph barrier this year, the timing feels as right as it can do.

“The TT is the pinnacle for me and while it might only be a couple of weeks of the year, it takes a lot of sacrifices and hard work all year round to get to a level that allows us to keep pushing and pushing.

“Now feels like the time to take a break from that cycle and start a new chapter in life, but Ben knows I’ll always be there in any way I can to keep the Birchall name on top.

“The list of people to thank is too long, but I’d like to give a special mention to the marshals and the medics, and the amazing TT fans that have made racing on the island so special for me over the years.

“It’s been a real privilege and an honour. I’ll always love it and I’ll be there in 2024, either as part of the team or with a beer on the side of the road cheering Ben on.”

Ben Birchall will continue racing in 2024 at the TT and an announcement on who his new passenger will be is expected in the new year.