Frank Bird – Leipert Motorsport – Announcement

Further to the announcement earlier this week that Cumbrian racing driver Frank Bird would be contesting the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup in 2022 after signing for German team Leipert Motorsport.

After further discussions with the team, and due consideration of all the factors, it has now been decided by Paul Bird Motorsport Ltd (PBM) that Frank will not be joining Leipert Motorsport and is now looking at other options.

Paul Bird, Team Owner, PBM Ltd: “We have decided to pursue other opportunities for this season. Things just didn’t fall into place as we’d hoped and expected and despite some assurances, we feel we cannot commit to this project at this time. It is vitally important we make the correct decisions at this stage of Frank’s career so we will now consider which options to take this season.”

Top five for impressive Bird in Dubai

Cumbrian driver Frank Bird kicked off his 2022 circuit racing season is style with a superb performance at the Frank Birdopening two rounds of the Asian Le Mans Series (ALMS) held at the Dubai Autodrome over the weekend.

The 22-year-old from Penrith was contesting the pair of four-hour races in the United Arab Emirates driving a McLaren 720S in the GT class for the UK-based Garage 59 team along with teammates Alexander West from Sweden and German driver Marvin Kirchhofer as part of a 23-car field in the GT class and 36 cars in total.

Best of British motorsport celebrated at the 2022 Night of Champions

The best of British motorsport was recognised this evening [22 January] at Motorsport UK’s annual Night of Champions held at the Royal Automobile Club, London.

Brown bows out as British Rallycross Championship MINI champion

Rochdale racer Steve Brown has been named as the 2021 Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy BMW MINI champion after the latest round [6-7 November] at Lydden Hill Race Circuit in Kent.

Brown grabbed hold of the lead of the championship earlier this year at Pembrey in Wales and after a solid performance throughout the latter half of the season, was able to hold onto the top spot as the championship headed to the penultimate round in the South East.

Podium for Bird in Barcelona

Penrith driver Frank Bird rounded off a fantastic season in great style when he scored a podium finish in today’s fifth and final round of the Fanatec GT World Cup Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup in Barcelona.

Pirelli unveiled as F4 British Championship tyre supplier from 2022

Motorsport UK is pleased to announce Pirelli will be the official tyre supplier to the F4 British Championship certified by FIA from 2022.

Pirelli’s involvement as the series’ tyre supplier will further Motorsport UK’s objective of aiding driver progression through the single-seater categories towards Formula 1. The Italian firm are involved at each stage of the FIA’s single-seater pathway and the opportunity for drivers to gain experience of the tyre compound from the outset of their junior careers furthers British Formula 4’s status as a globally recognised destination for driver development.

Mario Isola, Head of F1 and Car Racing at Pirelli said: “Encouraging and promoting the careers of young drivers has always been a central part of Pirelli’s philosophy in motorsport, helping to create a ladder of opportunity capable of bringing deserving talents from the grass roots all the way to the very top.

Frank Bird goes in search of Barcelona podium

The Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS comes to an end this weekend with the fifth and final round of the Endurance Cup at Barcelona where Cumbrian driver Frank Bird will be in action.

22-year-old Frank, from Penrith, will again be at the wheel of the Team WRT Audi R8 LMS in which he’ll partner Japanese ace Ryuichiro Tomita and Danish driver Valdemar Eriksen.

Knockhill takes its toll – but Brown’s still leads British Rallycross category

Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy contender Steve Brown endured a tough weekend in Scotland, managing only one podium spot in the BMW MINI double header at Knockhill Race Circuit [24-25 September].

Brown was fresh from a scintillating performance at Pembrey last month when he took his maiden British Rallycross Championship wins on both rounds of the weekend, which subsequently vaulted him to the top of the championship standings. But the tricky Knockhill circuit proved a little tougher to master and Brown could only scoop third place on the second day of competition.

British Formula 4 to adopt new onboard safety system for 2022

Motorsport UK is delighted to confirm the F4 British Championship certified by FIA will adopt TOCA’s new onboard signalling system onto its cars from the start of next season. The latest in cockpit safety electronics are being introduced across the British Touring Car Championship and TOCA support series from 2022 and British F4 is one of the first categories to commit to the new equipment.

The state-of-the-art visual display is a major new safety feature that will give Race Control a direct link to drivers, warning them of any yellow flag zones or red flag stoppages. Appropriately coloured LED lights will instantly appear on the instrument panel in the driver’s cockpit as an additional support to the traditional marshalling flags and light panels located around the circuit.

Bird claims runner up spot in GT World Cup

Penrith driver Frank Bird endured a frustrating weekend at the fifth and final round of the Fanatec GT World Cup Europe powered by AWS Sprint Cup in Valencia, but still managed to end the season as runner-up in the series.

The 21-year-old Cumbrian and Japanese teammate Ryuichiro Tomita struggled during qualifying in the Team WRT Audi R8 LMS on the technical Spanish track to end up 24th on the grid.