ACU riders Mitchel Godden and Paul Smith have secured the silver medal in the 2026 European Sidecar Championship, completing an impressive international campaign with a place on the continental podium.
The 2026 European Sidecar Championship reached its exciting conclusion at Berghaupten in Germany, where Europe’s leading sidecar crews battled for the European crown in a spectacular final meeting.
Following the Championship Challenge at Werlte in July, the qualified crews travelled to southern Germany for the decisive event, with the European title still firmly up for grabs.
The Berghaupten weekend began in difficult conditions, with rain affecting the opening part of the programme and forcing organisers to shorten practice for safety reasons. However, conditions improved considerably, with the clouds clearing to provide warm summer sunshine for the remainder of the meeting.
By the time racing got underway, the track had dried and the crews were able to compete in much more favourable conditions. The large crowd was treated to close racing, spectacular overtaking and a fiercely contested battle for the championship positions.
Among those to make a major impression were ACU riders Mitchel Godden and Paul Smith, who produced an outstanding performance throughout the meeting.
Godden and Smith were right at the sharp end of the competition, scoring an impressive 18 points and establishing themselves as serious contenders for the European crown. Their performance placed them at the head of a tightly packed group, with only a handful of points separating the leading crews.
The strength of the opposition was underlined by the scores behind them. Markus Brandhofer and Bridget Meijerink recorded 16 points, while Rémi Valladon and Jonathan Bertrand also scored 16. Manuel Meier and Lena Siebert followed with 15 points, demonstrating just how competitive the Berghaupten meeting proved to be.
With the championship positions still to be decided, the Finals delivered plenty of drama as the crews battled hard for every position.
Godden and Smith maintained their strong form to finish second in the championship, securing the European silver medal and giving the ACU a significant result on the international stage.
Their runner-up finish represents an excellent achievement for the British pairing, particularly against an exceptionally strong European field and following the demanding Championship Challenge earlier in the season.
The European title ultimately went to Markus Brandhofer and Bridget Meijerink, who continued the form they had demonstrated at Werlte. The German-Dutch pairing had dominated the Challenge, winning all four of their qualifying races before also taking Final A, and they delivered once again when the championship was decided.
Godden and Smith's silver medal ensured that the British pairing finished the 2026 European Sidecar Championship as runners-up, marking a highly successful international campaign under ACU colours.
The bronze medal went to Raphael San Millan and Benedikt Zapf, who completed the podium in third place.
For Godden and Smith, the result is a deserved reward for a season of competitive international racing and confirms their place among the leading sidecar crews in European competition.
2026 European Sidecar Championship – Podium
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