FIM Sidecar World Championship goes down to the wire in Germany

The 2026 FIM Sidecar World Championship concludes this coming weekend (2-4 October) with the sixth and deciding round at Oschersleben in Germany where 2024 champions Harrison Payne (ARS Yamaha) and Kevin Rousseau will start with the title almost within their reach.

The British/French pairing head to the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben with a twenty-five-and-a-half-point lead, knowing that victory in Saturday’s twelve-lap Sprint race will put the championship out of reach of their rivals and having won seven of the ten races staged so far this season, it would be unwise to bet against them.

However, they also have a DNF on their 2026 record from race two in Cremona and a second no-score in the opening race at Oschersleben this weekend, would throw the title race wide open again with Pekka Päivärinta (ARS Yamaha) and Adam Christie and defending champions Sam and Thomas Christie (LCR Yamaha) perfectly positioned to take advantage.

Tied on points with the British brothers for second, the veteran Finn and his British passenger – who is the brother of the reigning champions – claimed a double win at round two in Croatia and have only finished off the podium twice this season, while the Christie brothers have dropped out of the top three on just one occasion and it is this incredible consistency that has seen the three top crews pull comfortably clear of the chasing pack.

With no-one else within striking distance, the medals will be disputed between the leading trio, although this unique discipline’s global fanbase can still look forward to a weekend of world-class racing with plenty of passing – and no shortage of drama – guaranteed.

Swiss star Markus Schlosser (LCR Yamaha), the world champion rider in 2021, has teamed up with new German passenger Lucas Kreig this season and the partnership has shown huge potential with the pair sitting a clear fourth in the standings, thirty-two points ahead of the French son and father pairing of Ted and Vincent Peugeot (LCR Yamaha).

Peugeot/Peugeot are on course for their best-ever finish together and will be looking to replicate their debut podium achieved at round four at Cremona in Italy, but the competition is fierce throughout the field with former champion rider Bennie Streuer (ARS Yamaha) and his fellow Dutchman Manon Viseenberg only four points adrift of the French pairing.

Also showing podium potential in the closing stages of the championship, the German/French pairing of Patrick Werkstetter (ARS Yamaha) and Valentin Pirat were in great form last time out at Assen, as were Britain’s Lewis Blackstock (LCR Yamaha) and Oscar Lawrence who were third in the Main race in the Netherlands on their 2026 series debut.

The action in Germany is scheduled to get under way on Saturday (3 October) with the twelve-lap Sprint race at 16:30 with the twenty-one-lap Main race starting the following day at 14:35 (all local times).

All the action from Oschersleben will be streamed LIVE on FIM-MOTO.TV along with behind-the-scenes footage, interviews and expert analysis.For more details click here.

For more information on the 2026 FIM Sidecar World Championship click here.