Grand Prix sidecars set to make Irish return at Redbrae after over 40-year absence

After the latest round at Strassbessenbach in Germany, the Championship is still led by the Belgian / French crew of Marvin Vanluchene and Nicolas Musset on 352 points with multi-World Champion, Etienne Bax, who claimed his 100th Grand Prix win in Germany, and Ondrej Cermak, now only eighteen points behind in second, after claiming the overall victory.

Third is another Dutch driver – 26-year-old Koen Hermans – with the experienced and spectacular Ben van den Bogart in the chair, on 307.

These three have monopolised the top step of the podium in 2023 with Vanluchene and Bax on three wins each, and Hermans on two.

All three have two second-placed finishes, while Hermans and Vanluchene have two thirds to their credit, enough to give Vanluchene the championship lead over Bax.

British crew, Brett Wilkinson with Joe Millard are holding onto fourth on 242, while Dutch crew Justin Keubens and Dion Rietman are 20 points adrift in fifth.

The ‘big three,’ should once again dominate the podium but in which order should make for an exciting spectacle after a superb race in Germany on the hard pack of Strasbessenbach.

There will be plenty of local interest in the sidecar races with Lisburn crew multi-Irish and Ulster champions Neil Campbell and Ross Graham lining up alongside Saintfield crew Andy and Adam McKibben and Dromore crew Jonny Wilson and Andrew Rowan, giving the home fans some local talent to cheer on.

The Quad Championship has become a battle between Estonian Karl Robin Rillo and Patrick Turrini, who are tied on 87 points with another Estonian, Rasmus Sona, third on 59 points and Jan Brhel fourth on 56.

In the quads there is a very real chance for a local podium finisher and possible winner with current Ulster Championship leader Dean Dillon from Moria and Hillsborough’s multi Ulster, Irish and current British champion Mark Mclernon entered.

Boosting the local interest will be Mitchell Adams, and the Young brothers – Dean and Jack – entering alongside early Ulster championship leader Paul Edgar, and Kyle Murphy from Cork, who currently runs third in the Ulster Championship.

The only World Championship event on the island of Ireland in 2023 gets underway at 9.30am on Friday with free practices and qualifying races.

The main Grand Prix is held on Saturday with two races each for the Quads and Sidecars.

The North Armagh Motorcycle and Car Club, who are promoters of the event, will be supporting local charities Cystic Fibrosis Trust and Motor Neurone Disease Association at the event.