Lucky escape: Meier/Siebert back in action in Melsungen after the Schwarme crash

The sidecar team, with Manuel Meier of MSC Berghaupten at the handlebars and Lena Siebert of MSC Melsungen as passenger, didn’t even manage half a lap in their second heat at last Sunday’s grass track race in Schwarme. Although the water truck had been deployed during practice at the Niedersachsenring in Schwarmer Bruch to keep the immense amount of dust under control, conditions were completely different by the start of the race.

It started to rain – not very heavily at first, but increasingly so as the afternoon wore on. At 4.44 pm, the event was abandoned as the safety of the competitors could no longer be guaranteed.

What exactly happened?

In their first heat on a wet, but still very drivable 700-metre track, Meier/Siebert finished fourth behind Mitch Godden/Paul Smith (GB), the French pair Jérôme Lespinasse/Lauryna Faget and Markus Brandhofer/Bridget Meijerink from AMC Haunstetten.

In the second heat of the International Sidecar Class, there was a massive crash. Six sidecars at the start, the starting tape went up and off they went. “We’d just come out of Turn 1 when our engine seized up,” Manuel Meier reported today in an interview with SPEEDWEEK.com. He continued: “We then tried to roll into the inside lane, but Brandhofer couldn’t swerve out of the way and crashed into us sideways; but then the Czechs [David Lizak and Lukas Hromadka] came along and crashed straight into our motorbike.”

What were the consequences of the crash for Manuel and Lena?

It did have consequences. Meier: “Physically, we were lucky. I’m covered in bruises, but I’ve been able to get back to work all week. And although Lena was thrown off, she’s already been helping to set up the track in Melsungen this week.” The sidecar is a write-off, though – the gearbox and front fork are still usable, but apart from that...? We’ve still got a lot of work to do for the European Championships here in Berghaupten if we want to have a second bike there. But this Saturday we’ll be back at MSC Melsungen, even if it’s only with one motorbike.”

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The 64th MSC Melsungen grass track race at St. Georgs Bridge this Saturday, 1 August, begins with practice at 10.30 am; the race starts at 3.30 pm following the riders’ presentation. Races will be held in the I and B solo, I and B sidecar, enduro and speedkart classes.