World champions Tim Reeves and Ashley Hawes Picture: Wally Walters

Tim Reeves clinched a fourth World sidecar title after winning a four-way battle for the championship at Le Mans.

It was Reeves’ first world title since 2007 as the Ashford racer put in a faultless display alongside Rochester passenger Ashley Hawes.

Four crews went into the event with the chance to take the title, with just four points separating them, in what was billed as a winner-takes-all race.

Reeves and Hawes, from Rochester, put their machine second on the grid with less than half a second covering the title challengers after qualifying.

But Reeves’ hopes improved dramatically when title rivals Pekka Paivarinta/Adolf Hanni and Ben Birchall/Tom Birchall both went out early in the race.

It left Reeves and Hawes with the team of Jorg Steinhausen and Gregory Cluze to worry about.

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And the two teams slugged it out throughout the race, before Reeves eked out an advantage towards the end, after preserving his tyres in the middle

"I’m over the moon to be world champion again," said Reeves.

"This has undoubtedly been the hardest one to win."