Team GB produced a superb performance at the 2026 FIM Sidecarcross of Nations at Dardon-Gueugnon in France to claim second overall, as the British crews battled the host nation all the way for the title.
Images courtesy of Ilsa Meulenbroek
Brett Wilkinson and Joe Millard ended the weekend in style with a brilliant victory in the second and final race, while Dan Foden and Noah Weinmann also delivered valuable results across the two motos. In the end, it was France who took the overall victory on home soil, with Great Britain securing a fantastic silver medal ahead of reigning champions the Netherlands in third.
Read the Official Race Report below by Barry Nutley
There could be no better venue for this huge event. The steep ups and downs of the Dardon-Gueugnon track with its natural viewing opportunities were the perfect setting for the 2026 inter-team competition. Reigning champions in both Quad and Sidecar categories were The Netherlands, and they would face an enormous challenge to repeat that feat in the sidecar class against French and British crews more at home on this type of hard-pack going.
Nine sidecar teams meant here would be just the two actual races and one qualifier with all twenty-seven crews doing battle. In many ways, this would be a truer test of the whole filed, and a prospect to relish as they all gave it their best shot.
A press conference hosted by Bradley Hix followed by the ballot for grid spots took place late afternoon, giving team Italy first choice of gate position, Estonia second and Great Britain third. Reigning champions Netherlands were fifth in the draw.
Free practice – Saturday morning was fresh and cool for the first trips onto the track. It was due to turn hot again later, but conditions were good, as Marvin Vanluchene/Ben van den Bogaart showed their class for the opening laps, followed by Julian Veldman/Rodolphe Lebreton, the Prunier brothers and Brett Wilkinson/Joe Millard on the clock. We therefore had four different
Nations on top of the early times. This gave us an indication of how close the action going to be once underway. Overnight watering had improved the previously arid track conditions, so we were set for a good day of qualifying.
Qualifying race – Just nine teams with twenty-seven crews in total gave us a full grid with two full length races tomorrow, but first those twenty-seven had to fight for race-gate position. A twenty-minute plus two lap qualifying race would determine Sundays grid.
Down went the gate, but the race lasted just one lap before a red flag came out after a crash by the Estonians Normak/Dukulis. The passenger needed medical attention, resulting in a fifteen-minute delay.
At the restart Vanluchene made the hole shot from the Prunier brothers, and Dan Foden/Noah Weinmann. Brett Wilkinson and Joe Millard, who were tussling with Julian Veldman/Rodolph Lebreton were next up, with a great start by Stephan Wijers/Han van Hall keeping them in touch. Davy Sanders, who lay third in the first abortive race, had a shocking start this time around and was way down the order. He was to finish in tenth place after a fraught race. There was a good performance from the young Swiss Kaser brothers, who seemed very much at home on the hillside track, and they showed a clean pair of heels to veteran fellow-countrymen Marco Heinz and Martin Betschart. The future looks bright for these Swiss brothers, and they join the ranks of new, young hopefuls making their marks on the sport.
Veldman made the move on Wilkinson and shot into third place, from where he began to hassle Killian and Evan Prunier. They in turn were seeing Vanluchene/van den Bogaart disappear up front. The newly crowned champions were eight seconds clear.
About mid-way, a multiple pile-up saw Adrian Peter and the young Belgian team of Hendrickx/Kaethoven along with a couple of others involved. This melee caused a hazard on-track, proving difficult to navigate around. There was no such trouble at the front, with Vanluchene/van den Bogaart holding a six-second gap over Prunier, with Veldman, despite trying everything in the book, unable to pass Killian and Evan Prunier, who would have second pick of the gate tomorrow. Once again, the downright speed of Vanluchene was impressive.
Result – 1/Vanluchene/van den Bogaart, 2/Prunier/Prunier, 3/Veldman/Lebreton, 4/Wikinson/Millard, 5/Foden/Weinmann,
6/Wijers/van Hal,7/Auvray/Steegmans, 8/Kaser/Kaser, 9/Peter/Zimmermann,
10/Sanders/Vincent, 11/Jensen/Petersen, 12/Carcreff/Hupon.
Race One – In very hot conditions, and immediately after the opening Quad race, the gate dropped for the first of two sidecar clashes. Vanluchene did not get the best start, around fifth or sixth into the turn, but Foden/Weinmann shot round the outside at the top of the hill to take the lead from Auvray and Steegmans. Prunier was in seventh, with Brett Wilkinson/Joe Millard just ahead. Veldman/Lebreton were fourth on the opening lap with Wilkinson closing all the time. Adrian Peter/Julian Zimmermann were really fast off the line, slotting into sixth or thereabouts. Their performance was to gain them a top ten finish for Germany. It was so tight up front it was impossible to be accurate, especially with the similar colour schemes on the clothing. Stephan Wijers/han van Hal had another of their good starts and were able to hold a strong top eight position throughout, eventually finishing seventh. They were a fine backstop for Veldman three places ahead.
At the front, Foden streaked ahead with Auvray in tow, but soon Vanluchene battled through to second place ahead of Auvray and Veldman.
Veldman was next to pass the Frenchman, and shortly after, Wilkinson tried a move on Auvray which put him up the bank and he overturned. This set him back, but he regrouped and set after them.
On lap seven, Foden had a problem at the top of the hill with his engine, and he dropped to sixth place, just as Prunier ran into the back of Veldman when Ular Karing stalled on the crest of a rise. Wilkinson and Auvray both shot through, but Dan Foden could not profit in sixth. Joe Millard had a slip off the back of Wilkinson’s bike, which was another small setback for the team. Meanwhile, Prunier was going again, and was in pursuit of his fellow countryman.
There was yet another fine display from the Kaser brothers who finished a strong eighth, upholding their strong rides in the world championship.
Wilkinson managed third at the flag, having been obliged to follow a tough Auvray/Steegmans performance home.
Result – 1/Vanluchene/van den Bogaart, 2/Auvray/Steegmans,
3/Wilkinson/Millard, 4/Veldman/Lebreton, 5/Prunier/Prunier,
6/Foden/Weinmann, 7/Wijers/van Hal, 8/Kaser/Kaser, 9/Peter/Zimmermann,
10/Lihtsa/Lina, 11/Carcreff/Hupon. 12/Sanders/Vincent, 13/Grondman/Vincent, 14/Buob/Buob, 15/Hodges/Henderson.
Race Two – It was a terrific start once more for Foden/Weinmann and took them into the lead from Auvray once again, with Wilkinson/Millard and the Prunier brothers ahead of Vanluchene/van den Bogaart.
Very quickly, Marvin grabbed two places, passing Wilkinson for third spot. Another good start by team Netherlands saw Veldman and Wijers circulating together, with Stephan Wijers never losing sight of his team-mate.
Foden kept the hammer down for five or six laps before Auvray passed him, dropping him into the clutches of Vanluchene, who was lapping fast and looking for every opportunity. Brett Wilkinson was down in fourth, but ahead of Prunier, Veldman and Wijers.
As Auvray and Vanluchene pulled away, Brett squeezed past Dan Foden and chased by Prunier, closed dramatically on Vanluchene to make it a three-horse race at the front.
Further back, behind the Netherlands pair of Veldman and Wijers, Davy Sanders/JensVincent were working up from another poor start, having scrapped with the Kaser brothers. Sanders made seventh place his own, with the young Swiss brothers claiming another eighth place.
Back at the front, Marvin was becoming desperate to make it the double, but Guennady Auvray was holding firm. With three minutes left on the clock, the world champion dived left inside Auvray on a tight left-handed bend, only to bury the front and go over the top. Ben van den Bogaart looked winded, and their race was over.
Wilkinson needed no second bidding, and took the lead, just as Auvray then got it sideways, wasting vital seconds. Meanwhile, the Prunier brothers were consolidating things for France, whilst Brett and Joe marched on for victory.
This was a brilliant result for team GB, but it was France who took the overall glory.
Result – 1/Wilkinson/Millard, 2/Auvray/Steegmans, 3/Prunier/Prunier,
4/Foden/Weinmann, 5/Veldman/Lebreton, 6/Wijers/van Hal,
7/Sanders/Vincent, 8/Kaser/Kaser, 9/Hendrickx/Kaethoven,
10/Hofmann/Freygang, 11/Lihtsa/Lina, 12/Hengster/Hoffmann,
13/Peter/Zimmermann, 14/Carcreff/Hupon, 15/Karing/Niitsoo.
Overall Result
