From Service to Sidecars: Racing for the RAF

We caught up with Corporal Robert Atkinson, an RAF Movements Controller, Pilot for the RAF Sidecar Team and recently awarded Elite Athlete status, to better understand the sport, find out more about his involvement in next year’s Land Speed Record attempt, and hear about his journey into the world of RAF Sidecar racing. Rob shares his experiences, the challenges he has faced and what it means to represent the RAF on the race circuit.

‘Motorsport has always been a passion of mine and something I was heavily invested in prior to joining the RAF. Knowing there was an RAF Motorsports Association was a huge influence on me joining the RAF, as it gave me the opportunity to pursue my passion alongside my normal role. What attracted me to the Sidecar discipline was the team element. Motorsport can be a very solitary sport. At the race circuit we have a fantastic team around us but, as we are all based far and wide around the country, when it comes to vehicle preparation there can be many lonely hours spent in the garage. With the sidecar, that load can be spread between me and my teammate, Sgt Middleton. Not only that, but both the highs and lows are shared. There is no better feeling for me than having a great result on circuit and being able to share that with another person.’

‘Our journey to Elite status started when Sgt Middleton and I started the RAF Sidecar Team in 2018. We immediately realised we had strong pace and moved up into the British F2 Championship in 2019. After three years of standing on the championship podium, we eventually took the National Cup title in 2022. From there we stepped up to the British F1 Championship, the highest level for sidecar racing available in the UK. We have made steady progress in the British Championship since then, finishing 4th in 2024 and 3rd in 2025. I was awarded Elite Athlete status in June 2026 to give the team the best possible opportunity to take the British Championship title.’

‘Motorsport at the highest level has the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. From changing an expired engine up until the early hours of the morning in the paddock, to crossing the finish line knowing you have taken a British title, the lows can be extremely challenging, but the euphoria of having a great race and crossing that finish line first is, for me, unmatched. We have been surrounded by a great team to help us along the way, from mechanics and data men at the circuit to Officer Commanding RAF Motorsports, Group Captain Watson. When we started the team, there was no RAF Sidecar Team club nor was there a home for it. Months of hard work from Gp Capt Watson to change the Joint Service Publication to allow three-wheeled motorsport to compete under the RAF banner was a game changer for us. The support we’ve had from the RAF has been unbelievable. For two years now, we as a team have been sat on the edge of a British title on the biggest stage. Elite status will give me and the rest of the team that final edge required to take that title. In motorsport, to find that final tenth or two to take you from a contender to a winner takes so much more commitment.’

‘The time to train your body, develop your machine and prepare your equipment to the best it can be needs to be a full-time effort. Those who are not able to do this will be left behind. Elite status offers me that opportunity and gives us the best possible chance to bring home a British title to the Royal Air Force in the sport that I love. Getting to this stage has taken years of hard work and commitment. At many times it has felt like working two full-time jobs. Throughout my RAF career I have always been fortunate to have supportive line management, understanding and supporting my sporting goals, giving me time to train and compete. Even with this, there have still been many hours spent in the workshop late into evenings and weekends. To compete at the top level is a full-time commitment.’

‘The biggest lesson I have learnt from competing at this level is simply the level of commitment required. Taking a week off from bike preparation or personal preparation only generates the stress of knowing you are now a week behind your competitors. Because of that, I have learnt just how important it is to have a supportive team around me to help share that burden. To compete at the level we do would be impossible without the strong team we have around us. I have so many proud moments from my racing career, taking the Formula 2 Championship and winning our first British Championship race in 2025, but the one that stands out for me is finishing in the top 10 at our first World Championship wildcard event in Holland, proving that we have the pace to compete on the world stage.’

‘My ambitions for the future are initially focused on taking that British Championship title. 2026 is being used as a development year for us, getting myself, the team and the sidecar into the best possible position to push for the title in 2027. From there, we have proved we have the pace to run well up the field in the World Championship, so the long-term goal is to test ourselves against the best sidecar teams in the world. Alongside our championship ambitions, I’m also really excited to be part of the Greyhound LSR Land Speed Record Project — an opportunity to play a role in something that could go down in the history books. My role will be as the test pilot for the LSR ‘pup’, the team’s sidecar, which will be used to test essential equipment before it is applied to the actual land speed bike. I’ll have Sgt Middleton alongside me as my co-pilot on board the ‘pup’ — my right-hand man for the project and a fellow RAF Athlete. I’m particularly looking forward to working with the LSR team and the extremely talented engineers involved in the project. I’m keen to learn from their expertise and processes and hopefully bring some of that experience back to the RAF Motorsport Association to help develop my own motorsport career.’

You never know where your sport can take you — from competing on the world stage to playing a part in breaking world records. For Rob, it’s a journey that continues to open new opportunities both on and off the race circuit. Interested in getting involved in motorsport? Explore RAF Motorsports, discover the different ways to take to the track and get in touch today.