The final round of the BTCC-supporting MSA F4 British Championship took place at Brands Hatch at the weekend where Fortec Motorsport driver Frank Bird saved some of his best driving until last although he narrowly failed to add to his points score.
Driving the Be Wiser, Hager and Frank Bird Poultry-backed car, the Penrith-born 17-year-old was hoping to add to his mid-season run of top ten finishes and all went well in the early stages as he qualified on the third 
row of the grid for the opening race, having run higher in the qualifying session only to drop down in the final throes.
A battling performance in the race saw him eventually cross the line in 12th position, just missing out on the points and it didn’t get much better in the second race when he retired.
However, hopes were high for the final race of the season after Frank planted the car in a career-best grid position of fourth but starting from row two, he was unable to capitalise and ended the race in 16th place.
Despite not scoring points in his final few races, the season has been a massive learning curve for the teenager in only his second year in the sport and the first in a single-seater using slicks and wings.
There’s no respite for him, however, as he plans to test a Formula Renault car at Monza over the next couple of days before taking to the grid as a wild card entry for the final round of the 2016 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 to be held at Estoril in Portugal later this month.
Frank Bird: “It’s been a weekend of mixed fortunes in that I’ve shown that I can qualify well and have good speed but it didn’t work out for me in the races. Overall, I’m happy with what I’ve learned this season and I’d like to say a big thank you to my team and sponsors for doing a great job. I’m really looking forward to testing the Formula Renault car in Italy this week and then to get to race at the final round in Estoril will be a fantastic opportunity for me.”
For further information, please visit www.pbmuk.net and www.fiaformula4.com.
Pictures (courtesy of Jakob Ebrey Photography)
Notes to Editors:
Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM) are winners of over 170 races in British Superbike Championship, MotoGP CRT, World Superbike Championship, 125cc, 250cc, Supersport British Championships, Superstock National Championships, Isle of Man TT, North West 200, Daytona, Macau GP, and British domestic races. Points scorers in 125cc, 250cc and 500cc GPs, Points scorers in World Supersport, podium finishers in WSB, Superpole winners in World Superbike. Paul Bird is a former National Rally Champion and multiple runner up on both gravel and tarmac championships. Frank Bird raced Ginettas last year before graduating to the MSA F4 British Championship this season. They are based at Langwathby near Penrith in Cumbria.
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