The 2002 FIM Sidecarcross World Championship, the 23rd edition of the competition, started on 1 April and finished after fourteen race weekends on 22 September 2002.

The defending champions were Kristers Serģis and his passenger Artis Rasmanis from Latvia who also took out the 2002 championship. The team set a record for number of points scored, 662, and for world championships won, becoming the first-ever team to win five sidecarcross world championships. While Rasmanis permanently retired from the sport after the 2002 season Kristers Serģis continued his career in the sport until 2008, however without being able to win another world title.

The Sidecarcross World Championship, first held in 1980 and organised by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, is an annual competition. All races, manufacturers and the vast majority of riders in the competition being in and from Europe. Sidecarcross is similar to motocross except that the teams consist of two riders, a driver and a passenger. Races are held on the same tracks as solo motocross but the handling of the machines differs as sidecars don't lean. The majority of physical work in the sport is carried out by the passenger, who speeds up the sidecarcross in corners by leaning out. The coordination between the driver and the passenger are therefore of highest importance.The World Championship - Other: What is Sidecarcross.com, accessed: 27 July 2011

Overview The fourteen races of the season were held in nine countries: Netherlands (2x), Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia (2x), Latvia (2x), Germany (2x), France (2x), Sweden and Belgium. In comparison to the 2001 edition,FIM Sidecarcross World Championship – 2001 Calendar FIM website, accessed: 19 September 2012 the Grand Prix of Switzerland, Ukraine and Great Britain have been dropped off the calendar while the Bulgarian GP made a return.

Events typically consist of a qualifying competition, held in multiple stages on Saturdays of a race weekend while the two race events are typically held on Sundays. One exception to this rule is Easter weekends, when the races are held on Easter Monday. Race weekends can consist of additional motocross or quart support races as well, but the FIM stipulates that the World Championship races have priority. Riders have to be provided with at least one 30-minute free practice season, which will be timed. A race can consist of up to 30 starters and the qualifying modus is dependent on the number of entries. With up to 32 entries, it will be held in one group split into two sessions of 30 minutes each. Above 32 entries, the starter field will be sub-divided into two groups through ballot and the current standings. Each qualifying group can consist of up to 30 racers. Should there be more than 60 entries, a pre-qualifying has to be held. Of the riders in the two groups, the top twelve directly qualify for the races. The remaining teams then go to a second-chance qualifying, in which the best six advance. The riders placed seventh and eighth remain in reserve should one of the qualified teams not be able to participate.FIM SIDECAR MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP APPENDIX FIM website, accessed: 27 July 2011

The first twenty teams of each race score competition points. It was the first season this points system was used. In the 2001 season, only the sixteen best teams were awarded points. The point system for the season was as follows:S/C GP DESTINATIONS The John Davey pages, accessed: 31 October 2013 PlacePoints1 252 223 204 185 166 157 148 139 1210 11PlacePoints11 1012 913 814 715 616 517 418 319 220 1

Retirements At the end of the 2002 season a number of long-term competitors retired from the World Championship, the most successful of those being German Klaus Weinmann, runners-up 1995 and active since 1984.Official World Championship classification 2000–present FIM website, accessed: 9 November 2014KLAUS WEINMANN GP RECORD The John Davey Pages, accessed: 9 November 2014

Calendar The calendar for the 2002 season:FIM Sidecarcross World Championship – 2002 Calendar FIM website, accessed: 19 September 2012 DatePlaceRace winnersGP winnerSource 1 April Oldebroek Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Daniël Willemsen / Alfons Eggers Daniël Willemsen / Alfons Eggers 12 May Sevlievo Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis 19 May Jinín Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis 1 June Jaanikese Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis 9 June Cēsis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis 23 June Oss Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis 14 July Strassbessenbach Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis 21 July Lacapelle-Marival Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Benoit Beaumont / Henry van de Wiel 11 August Ķegums Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis 18 August Saku Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis 25 August Varberg Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Daniël Willemsen / Dagwin Sabbe Daniël Willemsen / Dagwin Sabbe 8 September Neeroeteren Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Wilfred van Werven / Eli Piccart Hendrik Söderqvist / Tobias Sylwan 15 September Rudersberg Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis 22 September Dardon Gueugnon Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis Kristers Sergis / Artis Rasmanis 29 September Cēsis Netherlands The Sidecarcross des Nations is a non-championship event but part of the calendar and is denoted by a light blue background in the table above. Flags for passengers not shown.

Classification

Riders The top ten teams in the final overall standings were:FIM SIDECAR MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: Classification 2002 FIM website, accessed: 19 September 2012 PositionDriver / PassengerEquipmentBike NoPoints1 Kristers Serģis / Artis Rasmanis MTH-BSU 1 6622 Daniel Willemsen / Dagwin Sabbe Zabel-VMC 2 4943 Wilfred van Werven / Eli Piccart Zabel-BSU 11 4344 Are Kaurit / Sven Verbrugge MTH-AYR 5 4175 Marko Happich / Gerwin Wijs Zabel-VMC 9 3436 Stuart Brown / Luke Peters Zabel-VMC 20 3327 Hendrik Soederquist / Tobias Sylwan MTH-EML 3 2838 Alvar Korjus / Jurgen Jakk MTH-AYR 6 2799 Evgeni Scherbinin / Sergei Sosnovskikh MTH-APZ 13 25610 Benoit Beaumont / Henry van de Wiel MTH-BSU 10 244 Equipment listed is motor and frame.

References

External links The World Championship on Sidecarcross.com The John Davey Grand Prix Pages – Results of all GP's up until 2005 Official FIM website – Sidecar Motocross World Championship