Record-breaking Isle of Man TT Sidecar star Tom Birchall calls time on glittering career with immediate effect

Together with his older brother and driver Ben, the pair won 14 times at the TT and claimed the honours in every race they finished around the Mountain Course since 2013.

During that time, the Mansfield brothers wrote their names into the history books, recording the first 117mph, 118mph, 119mph and 120mph laps of the 37.73-mile course on three wheels.

In June, the Birchalls sensationally raised the bar – fittingly in the 100th year of Sidecar racing at the TT – to a staggering 120.645mph.

Tom, also a four-time world champion and a British champion, is retiring from the sport with immediate effect.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

Birchall said he will still attend the event in 2024 to support his brother Ben, who will race on.

“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 that have made racing on the Island so special for me over the years,” he continued.

“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.”

Driver Ben will compete with a new passenger next year as he continues to chase down Dave Molyneux’s all-time record of 17 TT victories, with an announcement expected early in the New Year.

“It will feel totally different and take time to get used to competing without him, but I’m still totally committed racing and so it’s the start of a new and exciting chapter,” he said.

“It genuinely has been a journey, racing all around the world plus all the development of the bikes that people won’t see, too. None of it would have been possible without Tom.

“We’ve made history and to have done that with my brother has just made it even more special.”