Following the announcement that newly crowned Champions Steve Kershaw and Ryan Charlwood are making their own plans for 2021, comes the exciting news that the Anglo-Dutch pairing of Rob Biggs and Jeroen Schmitz will join the Santander Salt team for the new season.

Often front runners and always consistent, whilst immaculate in their presentation and attitude, the duo caught the eye of Roger Body, for whom professionalism and appearance is a major part of being a complete racer.

2016 saw Rob finish a strong fifth in the title chase with podiums at Knockhill and Brands Hatch with Ben Ransley alongside. Rob and Jeroen have been knocking on the door in subsequent seasons, and with the renewed backing of regular sponsor Ian Hamilton (Express Tyre Service) allied to the Santander Salt connection, chance of even greater success beckons.

The Biggs family is another of those dynasties involving several family members and spanning generations. Its name is also recorded in the annals of sidecar racing folklore, with brother Jamie partnering Steve Abbot to the 2002 FIM Sidecar World Championship.

Rob for his part, has had his share of physical woes, with a slipped disc causing him untold pain and discomfort a couple of seasons ago. With that now apparently sorted, the pair can look forward to a full season in which they plan to contest the British Championship as a priority, whilst taking in a couple of FIM World rounds.

Rob is very upbeat about the season ahead. “Jeroen and I are delighted with this new venture. The Santander Salt awning is the centre of the paddock, and the team has a strong record to live up to. We thank Ian Hamilton for his loyal support, and Roger Body for this opportunity. The rest is now up to us, and we intend to take this chance with both hands”.

For his part, Roger Body had this to say. “I have been watching Rob for a while and believe he will be a great asset to our team. He ticks all the boxes in terms of professionalism, and their riding ability is not in doubt. He has big shoes to fill, but we are one big family with lots of positive attitude. I really welcome them on board”.

Despite the disruption to 2020 caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic, the new season promises much to look forward to.

The RKB-F1 team has been working flat-out to bring a full season of racing to the table. Plans for the FIM Sidecar World Championship are also well underway and will be announced shortly on the dedicated website.

Now established as a fundamental component of the Bennetts British Superbike calendar, the British Sidecar Championship is once again kicking off its year at Oulton Park over the May Bank Holiday.

The BSB race schedule is later than in previous years, but we all hope that by the time we get to late spring 2021, the situation will be something approaching normal, and spectators will once again be trackside.

Eight rounds are scheduled with BSB, with a ninth taking place at the now familiar Cadwell Sidecar Revival. The date for the Revival is the weekend of 7/8 August, with a test day scheduled for Friday 6th.

Once again, the race format will utilise the reverse grid for race two when deemed safe and appropriate to do so, with the finale carrying double points at Brands Hatch in October.

Dates are subject to all outside factors remaining stable, and therefore must be regarded as provisional –

May 1-3 Oulton Park (one race)
June 4-6 Thruxton
June 18-20 Snetterton
July 9-11 Knockhill
July 23-25 Brands Hatch
August 6-8 Cadwell Revival
August 20-22 Cadwell Park
October 1-3 Donington Park
October 15-17 Brands Hatch