Wilkinson & Millard on the box in Loket! 2023 FIM World Sidecarcross Championship Round 12 – Race Report, Results and Highlights

It has become clear that the 2023 FIM World Sidecarcross Championship title chase is now a two-horse race, with only Koen Hermans and Ben Van Den Bogaart having a mathematical chance of victory over Marvin Vanluchene/Nicolas Musset and Etienne Bax/Ondrej Cermak. The reality is, that after Loket at the weekend which was round 12 of the championship, a picture should emerge where one of the top two teams will have a clearer path to the title. However, as we always say in sport “anything can happen and probably will”.

Race Report by Barry Nutley – Images courtesy of WSC

The Czech weather was once again kind, in fact, temperatures were heading for the thirties, so racing would certainly be tough.

Warm Up

Those first three crews had it all their own way through warm-up until the very last gasp when a final flying lap by the Lielbardis twins put them on top of the pile three tenths quicker than Vanluchene and Bax.

Best of the rest, with little to choose between them were Foden/Humphrey, the Prunier brothers, Keuben/Rietman and Prummer/Lebreton.

Wilkinson/Millard and Heinzer/Betschart were saving themselves for the two vital races coming up. This was going to be a crucial round for those teams chasing down the top three, with fourth place very much up for grabs.

The team’s presentation was greeted with great enthusiasm by a much bigger crowd than turned up for qualifying. Biggest cheers were for the reigning world champion passenger Ondrej Cermak, followed by a rapturous reception for the young Latvian Lielbardis brothers.

Race One

Thirty teams heading into the first left was a sight to behold. It was tight enough with fifteen, but this was spectacular.

Vanluchene/Musset stole the thunder of Tim Prummer by grabbing the hole shot ahead of Etienne Bax with the German third ahead of Heinzer/Betschart.

Brett Wilkinson/Joe Millard were next from Lielbardis and Keuben. Brett needed him to stay there but Keuben was intent on moving up, and he did just that on lap three, going into fifth place.

The two leaders were locked together opening six seconds on Prummer in the first ten minutes. Lielbardis also passed Wilkinson, and this was bad news for the fourth-place incumbent. Next to threaten him were compatriots Dan Foden/Ryan Humphrey as they closed in from an average start.

At the front, Bax was hunting Vanluchene but could not find a way past the Belgian, with the points gap in danger of extending by three. The drama continued, with Bax intent on getting past. With ten minutes left on the clock he was right on Vanluchene’s tail, as close as he had been.

Prummer/Lebreton were amazing in third, defending that slot from an ever-closing Justin Keuben/Dion Rietman as the Lielbardis boys dropped down the order, promoting Heinzer back to fifth place.

The two leaders were in a class of their own, but mention must be made of the climb through the field of Hermans/Van den Bogaart to tenth place from last at the gate.

Into the final five minutes plus two laps and Vanluchene had eased a small breathing space on Etienne Bax/Ondrej Cermak, with the pace telling on Prummer/Lebreton. They slipped down, with a brilliant ride by Keuben to move third. Heinzer was a strong fourth and Wilkinson fifth. This result took some of the pressure off Brett and Joe, but Keuben was now the immediate danger. The Lielbardis boys recovered slightly, to go ninth behind a super strong eighth by Foden/Humphrey.

This was a magnificent show by the series leader, stretching the gap to twenty-one points over the defending champions once again.

Result

Race Two

More heat, more action, and more drama. That was the recipe for this one as down went the gate. Once more it was Vanluchene/Musset from Bax/Cermak and the Prunier boys leading the charge. Prummer was fourth with Keuben right in the mix too.

On lap two, Wilkinson was past Prummer and in fifth place, with the Lielbardis twins behind the German and looking threatening. Etienne Bax simply had to stay with Marvin and keep the pressure on, but Vanluchene was looking safe and strong.

A first lap incident had dropped Koen Hermans right to the back once again in what was becoming a torrid season for a man with title hopes. By contrast, Keuben/Rietman were getting stronger by the race and were on target for an overall podium this weekend.

Lap five, and Wilkinson was up to fourth as Prunier slid down the order, such was the fierce pace, as Bax almost matched Vanluchene’s lap time, but not quite.

Once again, Hermans was climbing through the field and scraping into the points, as Wilkinson edged ever closer in the standings. Third place in 2023 was almost Herman’s for the asking, but suddenly was looking shaky.

Two left-handed sidecars in the hands of Foden and Heinzer sat seventh and eighth, with the Prunier boys now ninth after a flying start.

Wilkinson’s nemesis the Lielbardis boys were now right on him as he in turn fought to reel in Keuben. As if by command, they battled past Keuben to go third and help Wilkinson’s cushion.

That became a lost cause because immediately afterwards, he fell victim to the Lielbardis brothers as they moved third. Keuben`s passenger Dion Rietman had heat exhaustion on the final lap and they were obliged to stop. This dropped them to eighth in the results one lap down on Vanluchene. He is now further away from Wilkinson, who made the podium as a result.

Further back, the scrap for fifth, sixth and seventh was alive and well with French Champions Prunier attacking again and relegating Tim Prummer.

At the front, Vanluchene/Musset were heading for a glorious victory over the defending champions with a nine-second advantage.

Result

Overall