Road Racing: Tom Birchall announces his retirement from racing

Tom Birchall has announced his immediate retirement from racing.

Tom Birchall, the most successful Isle of Man TT Sidecar passenger has announced his retirement. Racing alongside his brother, the Birchall brothers have won 14 Sidecar Isle of Man TT’s. They have won every race that they have finished since 2013 with only three DNFs.

His brother Ben Birchall has confirmed that he will continue to race in 2024, with a new passenger alongside him. Ben will continue to try and close down on the record for the most race wins for a Sidecar driver. The current record is held by Dave Molyneux, with 17 race victories.

The iconic duo broke records at the 2023 Isle of Man TT, claiming the first 120mph Sidecar lap. The average lap speed was an incredible 120.645mph – setting a new lap record on the 100^th anniversary of the Sidecar racing.

On top of his road racing success, Tom Birchall will also leave the sport as a four-time Sidecar World Champion and a British Champion.

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

“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 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 who 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.”

Image credit: iomttraces.com