The RAF F2 sidecar team powered by Artic enjoyed a perfect start to the British championship with two race wins in their F2 Cup category to leave the track as class championship leaders for the first time.

This weekend the team head to Donington Park in the East Midlands for round 2 of the British F2 sidecar championship. This iconic track has a great history and has hosted F1 Grand Prix as well as world championship sports cars and world superbikes. The track presents a major challenge to the sidecar teams with constant contour changes mixed in with very fast and very slow corners. The team will have to be at the top of their game to run well here with the rest of the F2 Cup pack breathing down their necks.

After clinching two race wins in the first round at Brands Hatch, Rob and Mark are keen to consolidate their championship lead with a solid performance in the two points scoring races over this weekend. They will be chased hard by second place Brian Ilaria/Arlo Brown and third place Roger and Bradley Stockton both aiming to take advantage of any issue for the RAF boys.

The new RAF bike performed almost faultlessly at Brands Hatch and the team is hoping for another trouble free weekend at Donington. And finally, courtesy of the RAF Brize Norton paint spray team, the bike has it’s RAF Motorsport Association livery in place with Artic taking pride of place as title sponsor. If the team perform as well as the bike looks then make more room in the trophy cabinet!

BRITISH F2 SIDECAR CHAMPIONSHIP

The RAF team of Rob Atkinson and Mark Middleton are based at Brize Norton airbase in Oxfordshire, famous the world over, and used as a set in the latest Bond film. Away from the excitement of Hollywood, the team get their adrenaline fix on the racetracks of the UK thr

ough a six-round, 13 race championship taking in Brands Hatch and Donnington Park before head

ing to Wales and Scotland later in the season. Further supporting race meetings are planned on the Isle of Man and Brands Hatch (again) so our staff and customers will have ample opportunity to see the team up close and in action.

Our sponsorship has enabled the team to significantly enhance the bike for the ne

w season with a new engine, new ignition system and major chassis alterations. We are looking forward to joining and supporting the team on their Road to the TT.