TT sidecar classes suspended after crashes – but organisers want to save them
It’s been a grim week for three-wheeled racing at the TT. Multiple crashes during qualifying led organisers to pull sidecar participation entirely for 2026, with a full review now promised before the class returns.
The crash that prompted the suspension involved brothers Ryan and Callum Crowe, pre-event favourites, whose outfit left the ground over the Crosby Jump on Wednesday evening. Fan footage showed the sidecar lifting and flipping. Both brothers were conscious and talking at the scene, and were taken to Noble’s Hospital by ambulance. Maria Costello MBE and Shaun Parker also came off at Brandish during the second lap of the first qualifying session.
Clerk of the course Gary Thompson addressed the situation on TT+, drawing a direct parallel with last year’s incident involving Pete Founds and Jevan Walmsley at Rhencullen. “In both cases, the sidecar lifted, which pointed towards the aero flow, the aerodynamics,” he said.
With that pattern now repeating itself, the decision to stop wasn’t a difficult one. “In the interest of safety for competitors, for officials, marshals and the general public, we’ve decided to suspend sidecar action at the TT for this year,” Thompson confirmed.
The tone from the organisers isn’t one of abandonment, though. Thompson was clear that the intention is to bring the class back stronger. “We will do a full review, both technically and operationally, with the sidecar teams and with our technical staff just to see what we could do to preserve the class, make it more sustainable and more resilient for the future.”
He added: “It’s not the place to second-guess, to take risks. We just want to take stock, get everyone together, have a consultation process and do what we can to preserve the class.”
Exactly what form that review takes is still unknown. Whether the outcome is restrictions on aerodynamic designs, speed management at particular sections of the course, or something else entirely – none of that has been confirmed. What is clear is that the same aerodynamic issue has now caused two separate serious incidents, and the powers that be know they can’t keep rolling the dice.
Nobody wants to see sidecar racing disappear from the Mountain Course. The class has its own culture, its own following, and its own brand of barely-controlled bravery. But right now, the right call has been made – and the work to bring it back properly needs to start before the bunting comes down.
