Isle of Man TT legends awarded with coveted Segrave Trophy

Ben and Tom Birchall have been awarded the Royal Automobile Club’s Segrave Trophy.

The award recognises "outstanding skill, courage and initiative" and has been handed to the 14-time Isle of Man TT sidecar winners.

What is the Segrave Trophy?

The award is named after British pilot and pre-war racing driver Sir Henry Segrave.

He was the first man to hold both land and water speed records.

The Trophy is awarded only if the Segrave Nominations Committee feels there is a suitable recipient that meets its criteria each year.

Its full criteria is to reward "outstanding skill, courage and initiative on land, water and in the air – the Spirit of Adventure".

The award is handed out by the Royal Automobile Club, previously known as the Automobile Club of Great Britain which organised the first races on the Isle of Man.

The Birchall brothers' names are added to the list of iconic motorcycle racers who have won the Segrave Trophy, including fellow sidecar racer Steve Webster, Joey Dunlop, Barry Sheene, Mike Hailwood, John Surtees and Geoff Duke.

Birchall brilliance

The brothers first started working together 20 years ago. Ben was on the handlebars, Tom the passenger.

They won their first TT sidecar race in 2013, then went unbeaten between 2015 and 2023.

In 2023 the Birchalls became the first sidecar duo to lap the TT course at over 120mph.

Tom, aged 37, retired after 2023. He has now said: “I was always dead honest with myself,.

“Every year I’d ask myself, are you ready to commit to this? And I’d always said, yes. But after last year’s TT I asked myself and I couldn’t say it.”

Tom said about their record-breaking 120mph lap: “The final two laps of that race were the most sublime, surreal experience I’ve ever had – doing that speed, getting cheered on in the sunshine.

“We pulled into the winner’s enclosure and I just thought, this is it, this is as good as it’ll ever get and it just felt like the right time. I’ve got good memories and I’m glad it happened, not sad that it’s stopped.”

RAC club chairman Duncan Wiltshire said: “We are delighted to recognise the remarkable achievements of Ben and Tom.

"Racing at the Isle of Man TT is always a perilous adventure, the Birchall brothers’ efforts perfectly mirror the adventurous spirit of Sir Henry Segrave, after whom the trophy is named. 

"They pushed both themselves and their machines to the limit in pursuit of speed.

“Sidecar racing, especially around the Isle of Man, is also the epitome of teamwork.

“Watching Ben and Tom around the TT course you see how they work together to extract the most out of their machine. It’s a spectacular show and I salute their skill and bravery.”