FIM Sidecar World Champion rider in 2021, Swiss star Markus Schlosser almost chose a career in the adrenalin-charged sport of Ice Hockey before swapping his stick for speed and following his father into the even higher-octane world of motorcycle racing.
“Sport was initially dominated by Ice Hockey,” he said. “I played for the Bern youth national team and was very successful. Motorsport then came into my life through my father, Franz. He bought a sidecar and started competing in hill climbs. That’s how I caught the racing bug at an early age.”
While the two sports are very different, certain qualities are required to succeed in both and the fifty-four-year-old credits Ice Hockey with teaching him the importance of discipline, team spirit and determination and this early education served him well as he quickly adapted to his new choice of sport.
Initially competing at the age of just thirteen alongside his father aboard an historic BMW Scheidegger sidecar, in 1990 the pair scored points in the Swiss championship at their first attempt before Schlosser moved across to the rider’s seat the following year and – with Bernhard Hänni in the chair – climbed to third in the Swiss rankings.
A year later Schlosser became the youngest-ever Swiss national champion – a record he still holds – before switching his focus to the FIM Sidecar World Championship and, although his participation in the series over the following years has at times been occasional, he won FIM bronze medals in 1998 and 2007 before striking gold in 2021 with Swiss passenger Marcel Fries.
Silver medals followed in 2022, 2024 and again last season with first Fries and then Luca Schmidt – with Schlosser and Schmidt only losing out by three points in 2024 and four in 2025 – before he rolled out at the start of this year with new German passenger Lucas Krieg.
With two rounds down and the third scheduled for this coming weekend (19-21 June) at the Pau-Arnos Circuit in South West France, the new partnership currently sits fourth in the standings, although Schlosser is naturally aiming higher.
Markus Schlosser and Luca Schmidt at 2026 FIM Sidecar World Championship - Grobnik-Rijeka in Croatia © Mark Walters
“Of course, I’m not satisfied with fourth place overall. Our goal was – and remains – to fight for the title. However, if you consider the problems we’ve had in the first few races we can be glad that we’re still doing so well in the overall standings.
“A new partnership always brings challenges. Nevertheless, I feel that Lucas and I have got used to each other very quickly. We get on well both on and off the track and are already competitive. I think that if driver and passenger are a good fit then the time spent together plays a lesser role. That’s why I don’t see it as a major disadvantage for us.
“The most important key to a successful partnership is absolute trust. Without mutual trust, you cannot succeed [and] I have complete and utter trust in Lucas.”
Combining his day job in the maintenance department of alarge company with a sideline as a successful engine-tuner ensures that life is busy for Schlosser, although all the time he keeps his eyes on the big prize – regaining the title.
“Winning the FIM World Championship was the greatest achievement of my sporting career. It was the crowning glory of many years of hard work, sacrifices and setbacks and I am particularly proud that we were able to prevail against many strong and, in some cases, significantly younger competitors. This shows that experience, team spirit and passion are still decisive factors.
“Of course, I would love to win this title again. That is why we compete every year. Furthermore, supporting young talent is very close to my heart. I am deeply committed to getting young people excited about sidecar racing and making our sport more appealing again. It would therefore be something very special if, together with Lucas, I could fight for the title once more and perhaps even bring it back.”
The opening fourteen-lap Sprint race from Pau-Arnos is scheduled to start at 18:40 (local time) on Saturday 20 June before the twenty-four-lap Main race gets under way the following day at 17:45 (local time).
Rounds three through to six of the 2026 FIM Sidecar World Championship will be streamed LIVE on FIM-MOTO.TV. For more information click here.