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The opening race of the FIM Sidecar World Championship got of to a blistering start with the sun shinning down on all twenty one starters, in Magny-Cours, France.
Just as the lights went out Philippe Le Bail’s passenger Christian Chaigneau, Team Auto Moto TERCA, Yamaha had his hand up which left them stranded on the grid as all the other teams sped away to the first corner led by the ever fast starter Marcus Schlosser and Thomas Hofer, Team Schlosser, LCR Suzuki. Le Bail and Chaigneau managed to get away eventually and they had a great race making their way through the field to finish a great seventh place. After his fast start it was not a good race for Schlosser as he had big clutch problems, this left him finishing in fourteenth place. Garry and Dan Knight,
Redline, RSR Suzuki did not finish due to electrical problems which started on the warm up lap.
With Schlosser losing out this let Pekka Paivarinta and Adolf Hanni, Team Suzuki Finland, LCR Suzuki take the lead which they kept for the whole race with a fastest lap time of 1:45.949, both Pekka and Adolf said after the race “that was good”. This left Tim Reeves and Ashley Hawes, The Relocator, LCR Suzuki in second but having to battle with Jorg Steinhausen and Gregory Cluze, Steinhausen Racing Team, LCR BMW, at the end of the race though Steinhausen and Cluze were having some overheating problems but were very pleased with fourth place. Ben and Tom Birchall, Mitchells of Mansfield, LCR Yamaha did not get the best of starts but they were soon past Kurt Hock and Enrico Becker, Hock Racing, LCR Suzuki, Hock and Becker were to finish in fifth place, they were happy with this as they had some handling issues. The Birchall Brothers soon caught and passed Steinhausen who was having a good battle with Reeves, this let the Birchall brothers pass Reeves too, to take second place. As the race progressed Mike Roscher and Sven Polchow, Roscher Sidecar, LCR BMW had to be content with eighth place after having rear suspension problems. Crossing the line in sixth place was Sebastien Delannoy and Olivier Lavorel, Team Sand Seb 72, LCR Suzuki.
Due to some fluid on track and the passenger of Kees Kentrop, Gerard Daalhuizen, Connect-Roke Sidecar Yamaha Team, and needing medical attention, the red flag came out and because the “Sprint” race had covered more than two thirds distance the result was declared.
<media 24696>Race Classification</media>
Photos Mark Walters
