Lauder racer Steve Kershaw forced to settle for two podium places to kick off British Sidecar Championship challenge

Kershaw and sidekick Ryan Charlwood’s hopes of improving on their bronze medal in the International Motorcycling Federation’s Sidecar World Championship last year were dashed by their title sponsor pulling out​​, forcing them to rethink their plans and instead set their sights on following up their last British series win in 2020.

They had to give round one at Pembrey in Wales in mid-April a miss as it clashed with a prior engagement at Goodwood in West Sussex, so they’re now playing catch-up on series leaders Samuel and Jack Laidlow and the other crews vying with the Cumbrian brothers for 2024’s title.

The Borderers’ main rivals at the weekend were fellow world championship challengers Sam and Tom Christie, and the East Yorkshire pair took pole position 0.1 seconds ahead of them, with Lancashire’s Lewis Blackstock and Patrick Rosney in third place.

Saturday’s ten-lap first race was won by the Christies, with Kershaw/Charlwood half a second behind them and Blackstock/Rosney nine seconds adrift in third place.

For Sunday’s second race, also over ten laps, Kershaw and Charlwood lined up in pole position by virtue of recording Saturday’s fastest lap but weren’t able to make that advantage count, ending up third behind winners Blackstock/Rosney and the second-placed Christies.

Two podium places lift the Lauder crew up to eighth place in the championship standings, with 42 points, 55 behind the Laidlows.

Round three follows at Fife’s Knockhill Racing Circuit in mid-June, and there are only three further meetings after that – at Snetterton in Norfolk in July, Lincolnshire’s Cadwell Park in August and Kent’s Brands Hatch in October – so Kershaw and Charlwood know they’ll need to make the most of their home advantage next time out to get their title challenge up and running.

“It’s the first proper race we’ve had on the new Hoosier tyres and they are so different to the Avons – not better or worse, just different,” said Kershaw. “All these other guys have raced on them, so we’re happy we’re competitive but we need to just ride better.”

Charlwood added: “Next up is Knockhill and we know we’ll be fast straight away there, so we’re looking forward to that.”

The championship’s Knockhill round starts on Friday, June 14, and runs until Sunday, June 16.