For a second successive weekend, Arden Motorsport driver Frank Bird was in the points when round eight of the 2019 Formula Renault Eurocup Championship took place at the Hungaroring where he recorded his best result of the season.
The 20-year-old Cumbrian originally from Penrith was hopeful of a good result after a good performance in Germany last weekend where he scored a tenth place finish in the PBM, Hager, Fuchs Silkolene and Frank Bird Poultry-backed car.
A great performance in the Collective Tests saw him as high as fourth at the Hungarian track which he followed up with a pair of top ten starts following the two qualifying sessions.
Despite the inclement conditions, Frank was in with the leading pack in the opening race when the weather deteriorated and the organisers red-flagged the race, declaring a result with Frank holding sixth place.
With confidence high going into race two, Bird’s hopes lasted until the opening corner where he was involved in an incident with a spinning car which ruled him out of the race and not for the first time this season, he paid the price for another competitor’s mistake.
Frank Bird: “This was my best weekend for pace so far. We were inside the top seven in every session with the times being so close it was very competitive. Both qualifying sessions were held in tricky conditions, starting off wet then drying out. I qualified in P7 in the first qualifier and in P9 for the second one which I was reasonably happy with. Race one was red flagged halfway through because of the torrential rain when I was in sixth. Race two saw me make a good start off the line but going into the opening turn, a spinning car came in my way and I ended up hitting it and that was my race over. It was a shame because I felt I had good pace but overall, it’s been a bittersweet weekend with me showing good pace but things not going quite to plan. Thanks to all the team, the car was mega all weekend, my dad and sponsors. Onto the next one!”
2019 Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup Calendar
12/14 Apr Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Italy
10/12 May Silverstone, Great Britain
23/26 May Monaco
31 May/2 Jun Circuit Paul Ricard, France
12/14 July Red Bull Ring, Austria
26/28 July Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
30 Aug/1 Sep Nürburgring, Germany
6/8 Sep Hungaroring, Hungary
27/29 Sep Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain
Oct TBA
For further information, please visit www.pbmuk.net and www.arden-motorsport.com.
Copyright-free pictures attached courtesy of Dutch Photo Agency (please accredit if used).
Note to Editors:
Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM) are 10 times British Champions and winners of over 180 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. They are based at Langwathby near Penrith in Cumbria.
ENDS
