World Sidecar Championship contenders Ben and Tom Birchall are facing a new challenge for 2009 for as well as contesting the World Championship once again on the F1 LCR Suzuki they will also make their debut at the Isle of Man TT races on an LCR F2 outfit powered by a 600cc Honda engine plus run in the 2009 British F2 championship, two rounds of which are to run alongside the British Superbike championship.
 
More exciting news has just been announced, The Formula Two Sidecar teams are to race at the annual MotoGP event, which takes place at Donington Park in July. Ben and Tom Birchall have been invited to race at this prestigious event and will showcase their talent in front of a huge crowd of motorcycle racing enthusiasts.
 
The British Formula Two Sidecar Grand Prix is to be run over 15 laps of the full GP circuit after the MotoGP class qualifying sessions have finished on Saturday, July 25 and will be the main feature race of other support races that afternoon.

 
The Mansfield brothers have made amazing progress since beginning their world championship career in 2005 and taking ninth place as a wild card entry into the world round at Assen that year.
 
2006 saw Ben and Tom contest the full World championship where they were consistent top 10 finishers, ending the campaign in 13th position.
 
2007 saw the duo shine, they were fifth in the world championship and notched up wins in various events including the prestigious Jock Taylor Memorial Trophy.
 
2008 saw Ben and Tom secure their first World Championship race win at Rijeka in Croatia to end the season in a fine third place.
 
Ben and Tom have high expectations for the forthcoming season and are serious contenders for the World title this year. They have spread their wings to include the Isle of Man TT, which is one event they have always been keen to try.
 
With this in mind they have had talks with the Isle of Man race officials who readily accepted their entry into this year’s event where they will contest both three-lap sidecars races in June. To prepare for this the team will contest the British F2 sidecar championship, the first three rounds of which are prior to the TT.
 
More track time beckons at Donington Park as Birchall Racing has been invited to represent England in the six-nation Moto Six event at the Leicestershire circuit at the end of March. The event has attracted a lot of media attention and is expected to benefit from extensive television coverage.
 
The Mitchells of Mansfield-backed brothers have spent the winter months preparing both outfits for the coming season and are anxious to get some serious testing under their belts prior to the opening race of the season at Donington Park over the weekend of March 28/29.
 
The Superside FIM Sidecar World Championship dates are yet to be confirmed but the provisional dates are:
1 - May 10 Schleiz Germany
2 - July 4 Albacete Spain
3 - July 19 Sachsenring Germany
4 - August 23 Rijeka Croatia
5 - September 6 Le Mans France
6 – Date and venue to be announced
 
The British Formula 2 Sidecar Grand Prix - Donington Park on July 25.
 
The 2009 Yokohama/ACU British F2 Sidecar Championship race dates are:
1 Donington Park March 28/29
2 Brands Hatch April 10/11/12 (with BSB)
3 Cadwell May 3/4
4 Mallory Park July 18/19 (with BSB)
5 Anglesey August 1/2
6 Cadwell Sept 19/20.

The Isle of Man TT begins with a week of practice from May 30 through to June 5. The two three-lap sidecar races are set for Saturday, June 6 and Wednesday June 10.