View from the pits from Katie Laidlow, TLR84 Team Reporter

The sound of pit lane siren alerting everyone that the pit lane is live, a buzz of anticipation is created with determined looks building on the faces of drivers and passengers of these beautiful machines. Flicks of the visors, hands being shaken, the innocent rituals carried out in the moments before they set aside their human thoughts entering into a mindset that only those who have been in their position can understand. Sidecars all lined up ready to leave the comfort of the pit lane and enter into the battleground of the race track. 

Pitboard in its place, all the proud pit crews step back from the wall allowing the lights to appear, engines held, bodies positioned ready for the incoming corner, minds focused. Lights off… a blast of noise the point at which you surrender yourself to the thrill of the race. The scurry of pit crews back to the wall, everyone watching closely the position of their team. The temporary eerie silence soon disrupted by the approach of sidecars at a 100+ miles an hour distorting the words spoken by the fellow pit crews. 

Team Laidlow competed at many tracks in 2024 and I was fortunate enough to witness many of the sensational moments from the pit lane, the place where you can witness all there is to racing. The pre-race nerves, the pit stop debriefs, and of course the glorious feeling of joy shown through an exhausted smile when it all comes together and the aims for that race were achieved. 

There are many moments that I will remember for a long time, not only as a member of the pit crew for Team Laidlow but also as younger sister to both driver and passenger of the team. Such as,the first pole position achieved by the team at a British championship race way back on a rainy Friday in June at Knockhill -this was certainly entertaining from the pit lane as they captured the fastest lap with only seconds to go. Fast forward to the end of the season where I could do nothing but jump with delight at the realisation that my brothers were British Champions. Some may say that the odds were against them due to 2024 being their first full season competing in the championship on a bike which is as old as Sam- the driver. However, they pushed all this aside and drove with a spirit of strength and determination which I could see from each and every pit lane throughout the season to become the youngest team to claim this title as their own.

 Although the season came to an end in October, sidecar racing like many other sports is not just left the minute you exit the track. The shiny trophy takes centre stage in the living room of our farmhouse, with the red, white and blue confetti from the ‘picture of champions’ taken on the Sunday evening of that happy day still kicking around the house. All these things remind us of the achievements of Team Laidlow in 2024 evoking memories whilst causing discussions of what 2025 might bring.

Now at the start of the new year, Sam and Jack have been training ready for whatever challenges the new season may bring along with helping out with jobs on the farm. It is always a strange time of year; a limbo time when they are not out on track giving them time to get on with ordinary life whilst the racing mindset is in hibernation itching to be put to its best use. With Sam and Jack’s speed increasing it was time to say goodbye to the bike that taught them much of the racing knowledge and hello to a brand-new bike. It may at first take them a little bit to get back into the feel of everything and for them to set up the bike to make them both feel comfortable enabling them to ride it to its and their absolute best however, I know this will not take them long. They enter the 2025 season with the confidence and skills they gained from last season but with an added desire to push themselves even further and the determination to go faster, it is certainly going to be exciting that is for sure!

Over these winter months I have missed the rush of adrenaline of watching my brothers compete in this wonderful sport and I cannot wait to be standing in the pits again. Studying times, changing numbers and watching all the gripping action unfold… where will you be watching from?