For the second year in a row, the 3.667km circuit of Oschersleben, situated in the Borde district of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, will host the FIM Sidecar F2 World Trophy. Like last year, the Trophy will again be fought for over two races. Race one will be a sprint over 10-laps and race two a 15-lap contest. Unlike the FIM Sidecar World Championship for F1 bikes, which have 1000cc engines and a monocoque chassis, the F2 class is limited to 600cc engines, and the chassis is of a tubular construction.
The current holders of the Trophy, Tim Reeves and Gregory Cluze, will be there to try and hang on to it. Last year saw the Anglo-French pairing having to fight hard for the title with their “DMR”, Honda 600. The Austrian pairing of Michael Grabmuller and Sophia Kirchhofer with their “LCR”, Yamaha 600 certainly took the race to rivals Reeves and Cluze. Race one saw Grabmuller and Kirchhofer credited with the fastest lap of the race, but in the end, with two race wins, it was Reeves and Cluze who took the Trophy. Grabmuller and Kirchhofer finished as runners-up for the Trophy, with two second places.
Third place went to Gordon Shand and Phil Hyde on their “Shand” Suzuki 600. Shand and Hyde were great off the start line last year, but just could not keep up with the pace of Grabmuller/Kirchhofer. And when Reeves/Cluze would pass, it was the same story. Shand and Hyde just could not keep with the pace of the front runners. For this year, Shand has changed to Honda power from the Suzuki. Also this year, driver Gordon will have Belgian passenger Frank Claeys in the chair. Claeys is replacing Phil Hyde, Gordon’s regular passenger, who was injured earlier in the year at a race meeting in Scotland.
Like last year, one far-travelled team from New Zealand will be racing for the Trophy. Colin Buckley and Robbie Shorter, who have also been contesting some selected FIM Sidecar World Championship rounds, will be fighting for the trophy on their “BLR” Suzuki 600. Last year Barry Smith was the driver, but unfortunately he has an injury, so cannot be here to race this year.
The top three last year will also need to be on peak form, because this year will see multiple British F2 champion John Holden, with Ashley Hawes in the chair, competing for the Trophy. Holden and Hawes will race their “LCR” Honda 600.
Another fast team from Britain is the pairing of Alan Founds and Tom Peters, who are currently leading the “FSRA” British F2 Sidecar championship. They will race their “LCR” Suzuki.
With two fourth places last year, the team of Echart Rosinger and Andy Kolloch on their “Baker” Suzuki 600, took fourth place in the Trophy overall. Kolloch will be replaced by Gerd Gorlich this year, while Kolloch will be in the chair for Austrian Gunther Bachmair on his “LCR” Suzuki 600. Bachmair was fifth last year with Georg Moser as passenger.
Mike Roscher and Anna Burkard had a sixth place in the second race last year. Again it will be a busy weekend for them. They will want to do well in the F2 World Trophy, but also they will want to fight hard in the FIM Sidecar World Championship, where they are currently sitting fourth.
On Friday 21 August there will be two races for the Trophy. At 13.40 local time, there will be a 10-lap sprint race, and the 15-lap Gold race will kick off at 18.15 local time.
Mark Walters