Crowe brothers dominate opening Sidecar bout at TT 2025

2025 IOMTT

3Wheeling Media Sidecar TT Race One

The Crowe brothers drove to a devastating third TT victory in a row on Monday at the 2025 Isle of Man TT.

If the truth be told, the rest of the field were out of it before the race began, such was the speed of their outfit and the talent of Ryan and Callum. They set the fastest ever standing start lap for the category before smashing the Birchall brothers’ lap record on the second and final circuit to record the first ever 121 mph lap.

With rules due to change next year to forbid tuned engines in the class, it’s not implausible to suggest that today’s record may stand forever, or at least for a very, very long time.

The race as a contest was really only for second place, and that turned out to be a lively affair, with a number of outfits jousting it out on the time-sheets.

Changes to the programme this year meant that the start order was based solely on qualifying times, resulting in no seeded riders as such. The rule change was designed to encourage teams to ‘go for it’ in qualifying more and increase the competitiveness of the class.

Many of the familiar faces over the years in the class had either retired or were unable to compete. Included in this was 17-time winner, Dave Molyneux. ‘Moly’ bowed out last year with a podium, but stuck to his guns and retired for this year. Dave has been a constant presence at the event since the 1980s. Previous winners, John Holden and Conrad Harrison (Dean’s dad), retired from the sport too, with multiple world champion, Tim Reeves, also missing out this year.

Of course, Peter Founds and Jevan Walmsley were non-starters today after their huge crash at Rhencullen 24 hours previously. While the only serious challengers to the Crowes were sadly out of the race, we can happily report that they were back in the paddock today; bumped and bruised but otherwise ok. It all made for an unfamiliar feel as the Ryan and Callum Crowe streaked off into the sunset.

One familiar face that is still competing in the class is 14-time winner, Ben Birchall. But since his brother Tim has retired, it has left the older of the two siblings searching for a suitable passenger to partner him. As yet, he has struggled to find one of the same calibre as Tom, but today he turned a corner with Patrick Rosney, fighting it out for the podium and eventually slotting into second at the finish.

At Glen Helen for the first time Birchall & Rosney were holding down second positiuon but it was Lewis Blackstock and Oscar Lawrence who took over the role of chief chaser at Ballaugh; the Crowes already 20s ahead.

Birchall however, wasn’t going to take the number 5’s attack lying down, and Ben and Patrick Rosney had nosed back into second place by Ramsey.

Blackstock and Lawrence were right in the hunt though as they sped onto the second and final lap. But by Glen Helen, former British champions Lee Crawford and Scott Hardie had usurped them and were now up to third.

Suddenly Lewis and Oscar were missing; their engine had stopped in the Barregarrow area, costing them precious time. Luckily, they worked out what was wrong and got going again, but it was too little too late.

In the end, Ryan and Callum Crowe won their third TT, emulating Davey Todd’s achievement in the earlier Superbike TT. The recent dominance the Manx men have shown proves that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Their father, Nick, used to trounce the opposition in a similar fashion to what we saw today.

Birchall and Rosney were delighted with their podium in second, as was Lee Crawford and Scott Hardie with third. It was a maiden podium for each passenger, with Scotland’s Hardie stating that it meant ‘everything’ to be in the winner’s enclosure.

Ben Birchall

“Fair play to Ryan and Callum, they’re in a great place and both them and their team are performing superbly. That’s what you need to succeed but hats off to Paddy, he did a great job, and we’ve got quicker and quicker every time we’ve gone out. Practice week was tough for everyone, especially us as every new partnership needs laps, but we’ve kept chipping away and made improvements all the time. Lap two was our quickest of the event so far and the Honda engines have been performing faultlessly.  It was a bit blustery out there but other than that the conditions were perfect so I’m delighted to have taken my 18th podium and helped Paddy take his first. With a few small changes to the chassis, we’ll hopefully progress further again in the second race. Thanks to the team who’ve been working incredibly hard and also to all the sponsors for making it all happen.”

Double World champions, Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement scored a fine fourth in just their second year. A great improvement on this race last year, when they crashed at Water Works, bringing out the red flags.

Newcomers Kieran Clarke and Andrew Johnson put in a brilliant performance to come home fifth, driving the iconic dayglo Eddy’s outfit after shadowing the world champions for much of the two-lapper.

The Ramsdens completed the top six ahead of the luckless Blackstock and Lawrence in seventh, who were left to wonder what might have been.

Thankfully, they’ll get another chance on Wednesday to right today’s wrongs. But all eyes will be on the Crowe brothers, as there will be great intrigue to see just how fast they are willing to push their number one outfit in what will most likely be the final sidecar TT ever to allow tuned engines.

All being well, all the outfits will get another practice lap between the two races on Tuesday, prior to race two on Wednesday.

Sidecar TT Race One Results