Ben and Tom Birchall Awarded Seagrave Trophy
The pair were honoured with the award at a star-studded ceremony at the Royal Automobile Club, London
The fourteen-time Isle of Man TT sidecar winners, Ben and Tom Birchall, have been honoured this week, after scooping the coveted Seagrave Trophy at the Royal Automobile Club, London.
The trophy, first awarded in 1930 to Charles Kingsford Smith, is given to a British national who has demonstrated "Outstanding Skill, Courage and Initiative on Land, Water and in the Air", all of which are key attributes to success on the Isle of Man.
The pair have been racing together for around 20 years, and took their first TT win in 2013, going on to scoop a further thirteen, which includes an unbeaten run between 2015 and 2023. Aside from their exploits at the world's toughest motorcycle road race, the Birchalls have also won two F1 (2009 and 2018), as well as two F2 sidecar World Championships (2016 and 2017).
In December 2023, Tom Birchall (the passenger in the sidecar) announced his retirement from the sport, instead picking up the microphone and adding his insight to broadcasts as an Isle of Man TT pundit. Ben has continued to race on, though, joining forces with the experienced Kevin Rousseau for his 2024 campaign. The new pairing managed a podium in sidecar race two earlier this year, taking second place 20.4 seconds adrift from the eventual winners, the brothers Callum and Ryan Crowe.
Speaking about the award, Ben said, “To be put anywhere near those names – I’m so thrilled we’ve been chosen, it means so much”. The driver of the LCR Honda outfit, Tom, added, “It’s absolutely mind-bending … Motorsport and the TT are such wonderful environments, and to get an accolade like this is just bizarre”.
The Birchalls now enter a star-studded club as Seagrave winners, joining the ranks of Stirling Moss, Geoff Duke, Donald Campbell (three times a recipient), and Barry Sheene (two times a recipient) among others.
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
