Tuesday May 12, 2026 at 9:28am
British crews were once again at the forefront of the action as round two of the 2026 FIM Sidecar World Championship took place at Grobnik-Rijeka in Croatia, with British riders securing every podium position across the weekend’s two races.
The standout performance came from British passenger Adam Christie alongside Finnish driver Pekka Päivärinta, as the pair claimed a dominant double victory to move within four points of the championship lead. Their success continues a strong start to the campaign and further underlines the impact British talent is having on the world stage.
Qualifying saw former World Champions Harrison Payne and French passenger Kevin Rousseau set the pace, narrowly edging out Päivärinta/Christie and reigning World Champions Sam and Tom Christie in an incredibly close session. British riders filled the leading positions throughout the weekend, highlighting the depth of UK sidecar racing talent currently competing internationally.
In Saturday’s Sprint Race, Payne and Rousseau initially led away from pole position ahead of Päivärinta/Christie and the Christie brothers. However, a late charge from Päivärinta and Adam Christie saw the duo take victory after a decisive overtaking move in the closing stages. Payne and Rousseau secured second, while defending champions Sam and Tom Christie completed an all-British podium representation in third.
Sunday’s Main Race delivered another thrilling battle at the front between Payne/Rousseau and Päivärinta/Christie, with the lead changing several times over race distance. In a tense finish, Adam Christie and Päivärinta again emerged victorious by less than a second, while Sam and Tom Christie added another podium finish in third to maintain their championship challenge.
Elsewhere, British former World Champion Tim Reeves, now partnered with French passenger Mélanie Farnier, showed strong pace despite suffering mechanical difficulties during the weekend, while multiple British crews continued to feature prominently throughout the field.
Following two rounds, British competitors remain firmly in contention for the 2026 FIM Sidecar World Championship title, with the Christie brothers, Harrison Payne and Adam Christie all playing major roles in what is shaping up to be another highly competitive season for UK sidecar racing on the international stage.