P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The sidecar class has been immediately suspended from the 2026 Isle of Man TT as the organiser reviews a crash during Wednesday qualifying
The sidecar class has been immediately suspended from the 2026 Isle of Man TT races as the organiser launches “an immediate technical and operational review to assess the circumstances” of the red flag crash involving pre-race favourites Callum and Ryan Crowe during Wednesday night’s qualifying session. The pair escaped with fractures after their outfit flipped on Crosby jump amid high, gusting wind conditions around the Mountain circuit, in circumstances very similar to a crash last year for their fellow podium contenders Peter Founds and passenger Jevan Walmsley during qualifying at Rhencullen jump. The race organiser announced in a statement released on Thursday afternoon: “This precautionary measure has been implemented in the interests of competitor and spectator safety and reflects the race organisation’s commitment to reviewing all aspects of event safety and operational delivery whenever an incident occurs. All sidecar competitors and teams involved in the event have been briefed by race officials on the outcome of the initial review and the next stages of the assessment process. We recognise the long-standing history of sidecar racing at the TT, together with the commitment of the competitors, teams and supporters involved in the class. This decision has not been taken lightly. However, the safety of competitors, spectators, marshals, officials and all those involved in the event must remain the priority. Sidecars have long been a part of the TT’s history, first running at the 1923 event and holding world championship status from 1954 until the TT as a whole lost it in 1976. However, increasingly high sidecar speeds and the inherent instability that comes with it has been worrying the race organiser for some time. A big rule shake up for 2026 introduced a restrictor plate to reduce inlet port dimensions from 38mm to 27.5mm, in a move that TT bosses hoped would drop the average lap time by as much as 3-4mph and cut top speeds by up to 15mph.
