BLACKBURN duo Lewis Blackstock and Paddy Rosney are aiming to follow in the footsteps of local sidecar legend Dave Holden as they prepare for their maiden season in the British Formula 2 Sidecar Championship.

Holden is the grandfather of driver Blackstock and has been passing on tips to the duo from more than 35 years in the sport, which has seen him win countless titles including the 1990 British Sidecar Championship.

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Blackstock, 23, and Rosney, 20, are making the step up to the Formula 2 series this year.

They are taking inspiration from Holden, who has an attic jam-packed with the trophies from his long career.

Rosney said: “Dave has had a great career and he does inspire us.

“We look at what he does and try to do the same.

“He gives us a lot of advice on things like setting up the bike, and he comes to every race when he’s not racing himself.

“He showed us his attic recently and showed us all his trophies. He can remember what he was doing for every one of them, what the weather was like and everything.

“We’d love to get some trophies like he has done.”

Blackstock and Rosney hope to compete in the Isle of Man TT event next year.

“We are going to watch the TT this year and then we’re going back there to race in the Southern 100 in July,” Rosney said.

“We’ve been to watch it for the last year or two and it was brilliant. We want to do it ourselves next year, that’s our goal.

“We’re addicted to it now.”

The pair are relishing their debut season in the British Formula 2 Championship.

“We competed in the club championship at Darley Moor near Ashbourne in Derbyshire,” Rosney said.

“We were third in the championship, so it was a good season.

“But now we’re doing the British Formula 2 Championship at all the big race tracks.

“The first race is in the middle of April and we are excited about it.”