Isle of Man TT: Birchall brothers break 120mph sidecar barrier

The Birchalls are the first sidecar crew to complete a 120mph lap of the TT course

Birchall brothers Ben and Tom have smashed the sidecar lap and race record as their winning streak at the Isle of Man TT continued.

The Mansfield pairing recorded the first 120mph lap on the second circuit of the three-lap race.

They completed the race in 56 minutes, 53.768 seconds, almost 30 seconds faster than their own previous record.

Peter Founds and Jevon Walmsley, and John Holden and Maxime Vasseur, took second and third respectively.

It marked the 10th consecutive victory on the course for driver Ben, 46, and passenger Tom, 36, taking their tally of wins to 13, in what is the centenary of sidecar racing on the 37.73-mile Mountain Course.

The Birchalls took an early lead after setting off first from the start line, finishing the first lap 3.35 seconds ahead of Founds and Walmsley, with the Crowe brothers a further 23 seconds back in third.

That lead was extended to 16 seconds from Founds and Walmsley when the pair set the fastest ever sidecar lap in their Honda machine in a time of 18 minutes, 48.541 seconds, at an average speed of 120.357mph, 1.107mph faster than their own previous lap record.

But there was disappointment for the Crowe brothers, who retired at Keppel Gate on lap two, opening the door for Holden and Vasseur to move into third place.

Ben and Tom Birchall have now won 13 races on the Isle of Man's Mountain Course

The final lap saw the Birchalls clinch a comfortable win 24 seconds ahead of Founds and Walmsley, who were also riding Honda machinery.

Trailing the second-placed pairing by more than three minutes, Yamaha mounted Holden and Vasseur took third place after a close fought battle with Steve and Matthew Ramsden, who finished three seconds back in fourth.

Gary Bryan and Phillip Hyde, and Daryl Gibson and Tom Christie, made up the top six.

But there was disappointment for 17-times TT winner Dave Molyneux after he and passenger Dan Sayle were forced to retire at the Highlander on lap one, with the pairings of Tim Reeves and Mark Wilkes and Conrad Harrison and Andrew Winkle also going out on the same lap.

The Birchall brothers have won 10 consecutive races at the Isle of Man TT

Speaking after being the first sidecar crew to break the 120mph barrier, Ben Birchall said he had "carried that badge for a long time".

He said: "I'm sure everyone's wanted us to do it and wanted us to see it home.

"That is like having a kebab on your way home after a big night."

The three-wheeled machinery will next take to the circuit for their second outing on Wednesday.

Earlier in the session, Ballymoney's Michael Dunlop scored his 22nd TT victory in the first Supersport race.