Brands Hatch can lift duo

Sidecar driver Ricky Stevens, from Portsmouth, and his passenger Ryan Charlwood, from Dover, are heading to Brands Hatch Indy for round six of the British F1 Sidecar Championship.

Repeated grip issues with the outfit has so far hampered their bid to secure a third championship title.

But the pair are still confident that they can challenge the current front runners, Tim and Tristan Reeves.

Stevens said: ‘We have been working around the clock to investigate what the problem is and have fine-tuned the settings of the engine in the hope we have solved our grip issue.

‘We’ve been making really good lap times throughout the season but, without grip on the back wheel, we have been slowed down in the corners.

‘Luckily Brands Hatch is a bigger circuit so it should be less of an issue there.’’

Stevens also injured his leg at work a few weeks ago and had to adjust the outfit accordingly, by moving the gear levers to the handle bars – something he is unfamiliar with.

He added: ‘I’ve really had to rest my leg but I think it is getting better and I’m hoping we might be able to move the gears back to my foot as I prefer it that way.’

Round six at Brands Hatch is a two-race event, with one race tomorrow and the other on Sunday.

Sunday races will be broadcast on Eurosport.