'I'm a double world champ but can't quit my job'

A world sidecar racing champion who has just secured his second gold medal says he cannot give up his day job as a mechanic as there is no money in winning.

At the weekend, Harrison Payne, 34, and his French passenger Kevin Rousseau, 33, clinched their second FIM Sidecar World Championship.

Payne, from Wivenhoe in Essex, has been fighting to get the sport some exposure since the pair's previous championship win in 2024.

"I've got another medal now, and yeah, that's about it really. You don't get money or something like that, it's not really a job. My normal job is I'm just a mechanic, so I was back to work straight away when I got home," he said.

"Unfortunately, in sport, in general, in motorsport, it's not really viable as a career option.

"Generally, you need a lot of backing. Thankfully, I've got a lot of support and some good supporters."

He said he was able to get some Colchester businesses, including land promoters Scott Properties and car restorers Colne Classics, to help him get time off to compete.

Payne and Rousseau won the title after Saturday's race before finishing with a flourish during the main race in Oschersleben, Germany, on Sunday.

Their points total of 253 was 40 ahead of second placed brothers Sam and Thomas Christie.

In sidecar racing, one person drives a three-wheeled vehicle while the other constantly moves around it, shifting their body weight to prevent flipping or to maximise grip.

Payne said he had been "hooked" on the sport since he was a boy watching the races with his dad, but admitted it was "niche".

"Most of the time you explain it to someone, they have to kind of wrap their head around it a little bit.

"It's a very strange thing, but it's a thrill. I mean, we're going 150mph (240km/h), about 70mm (2.7in) off the floor.

"I think it was inevitable that I'd get involved [in the racing] someday, but we never really thought it would get to this level, but here we are."

"We've had some great results and been some great places and yeah, it's been fantastic. A year I'll certainly never forget."

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