- Reeves missed the 2025 TT but has never finished lower than sixth at the Tourist Trophy
- Farnier was the fastest female passenger on the Mountain Course in 2022
- The duo will compete in both Sidecar races, each over three laps
After a one-year enforced absence, one of the most successful sidecar drivers of the modern era is returning to the Snaefell Mountain Course. Tim Reeves, six-time Sidecar World Champion and two-time F2 World Cup winner, will contest both Sidecar races at the 2026 Tourist Trophy. The Englishman, originally from Tenterden in Kent and now living in the Netherlands, will start with a new passenger: Frenchwoman Melanie Farnier takes the seat in the Carl Cox Motorsport LCR Honda sidecar.
Reeves and the TT: An Impressive Record
The connection between Tim Reeves and the Tourist Trophy dates back to 2008. On his debut on the 60.7-kilometer Mountain Course, he immediately made an impact, becoming the first sidecar newcomer since Jock Taylor in 1978 to finish on the podium. What followed was a remarkable run of top results that continues to this day. In all his TT years, Reeves has never finished lower than sixth place.
In 2010, he returned to the podium with a third place in the first race, and in 2012 he improved to second with passenger Dan Sayle. A year later, in 2013, the long-awaited first and so far only TT victory followed, again with Sayle in the sidecar. Further podium finishes in third place came in 2014 and 2016.
2018 as the High Point on the Mountain Course So Far
Reeves delivered his strongest performance on the Isle of Man in 2018. Together with passenger Mark Wilkes, he secured two podium finishes and set his fastest ever lap on the Mountain Course with an average speed of 117.729 mph (189.479 km/h). This makes the now 66-time race winner in the Sidecar World Championship the fifth-fastest driver in the history of the Sidecar TT and one of only five riders to have ever exceeded the 117 mph mark.
Even in his most recent TT appearances in 2023 and 2024, again with Wilkes, Reeves remained competitive. A fourth place in 2023 and a sixth in 2024, underpinned by several laps at over 115 mph, showed that the Englishman still belongs among the extended frontrunners.
Farnier’s Experience on the Mountain Course
Melanie Farnier also brings considerable TT experience. The Frenchwoman made her Isle of Man debut back in 2015 alongside driver Lionel Mansuy and has five TT appearances to her name in total. After an eleventh place in 2017 with fellow countrywoman Estelle Leblond as driver, the duo improved to ninth in 2018 with a lap speed of 110.732 mph (178.222 km/h).
Farnier’s strongest TT performance came in 2022 alongside Paul Leglise. In the second race, the outfit finished seventh, with Farnier completing a lap at 111.053 mph (178.738 km/h). At the time, this was the fastest lap ever recorded by a female passenger in a sidecar at the TT. That record was surpassed two years later, in 2024, by Emmanuelle Clement, another Frenchwoman. For the 2026 TT, Farnier returns to the Mountain Course for the first time since 2022.
Carl Cox Motorsport as a Proven Partner
Behind the comeback is Carl Cox Motorsport, a team Reeves knows extremely well. The collaboration between the driver and the team of world-famous DJ and motorsport enthusiast Carl Cox has been in place for several years and has already produced podium successes.
Reeves spoke about his return: “It’s great to be coming back to the TT in 2026. Missing last year was tough, but the hunger is still there. The Carl Cox Motorsport LCR Honda is a proven package and I’m really looking forward to working with Melanie. She’s shown how quick and committed she is around the Mountain Course, and we’re aiming to build confidence through practice week and go into race week feeling competitive.”
Carl Cox himself also commented: “The TT remains my favourite event of the year and we block out our schedules to see the guys and girls do their thing on two and three wheels around the Isle of Man. We’ve been working with Tim for many years and been on the podium, so this isn’t our first rodeo together! We’re so excited to be fully behind his campaign for this year with Mel in the ‘chair’.”
All the Ingredients for a Strong Comeback
With eight podium finishes, one victory, and one of the fastest lap times in the history of the Sidecar TT, Tim Reeves remains a serious contender for a top result at his 2026 return to the world’s most demanding road race. The combination of his vast experience and Farnier’s proven speed on the Mountain Course makes the outfit a pairing that is likely to attract attention in both races.
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