British F1: Santander Salt Team-mates go head-to-head in Brands Hatch Finale

Once the visors go down and the race-face is on, it all about the title.

The two Santander Salt outfits of defending Champions Steve Kershaw/Stuart Clark and current series leaders Todd Ellis/Chaz Richardson are just thirty points apart, after slogging it out all season, taking eighteen of the possible nineteen wins between them.

The only other crew with a victory are Ben and Tom Birchall, who are defending their World Title in Portugal the same weekend.

With the traditional double points on offer at this the final round, a potential fifty for each race is there for the taking. You can expect fireworks from the word go, especially in the second race with its “reverse grid” formation.

There is also much to play for at Brands behind the top two, with another very close situation splitting the next six crews.

Lewis Blackstock and Paddy Rosney sit third at the moment on the Barnes Racing/Silicone Engineering Yamaha, twenty-four points clear of Gary Bryan/Phil Hyde (GBR Honda).

They in turn are really under pressure from Ricky Stevens/Ryan Charlwood (JG Speedfit Quattro Plant Kawasaki), Chris Walker/Ashley Hawes (TAG Racing Yamaha) and Rob Biggs/Jeroen Schmitz (Taurus Tools Honda).

In actual fact, fourth place, or even third, is there for the taking by any of these crews, and the double points available will also dramatically spice up the action.

John Holden and Lee Cain have really hit form late in the season, and their SBR Kawasaki will be very much on song. They were flying last time out at Donington Park and are on the back of that chasing group.

This season has been a stellar one, but there is no doubting the fresh young talent emerging, with Todd Ellis riding at world class speed at the head, and Tommy Philp coming up from club racing to slot in the top ten with impunity.

Sidecar racing is going through a transformation, and evolving all the time. The current 600cc rule has generated some of the closest racing seen in the last twenty years.

With nearly thirty outfits registered to compete at Brands, you can expect a true spectacle of colour and action into Paddock Hill Bend off the start. Will they all get round Druids? Well that is another story altogether. One thing is for sure, If you enjoy your sidecar racing, Brands Hatch is the place to be over that weekend.