October 16, 2023

Frank Bird’s Team Wins GT World Challenge Championship

In what can only be described as one of the best ever weekends in the near thirty year history of Paul Bird Motorsport, Frank Bird helped secure the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Silver Cup Championship to the PBM bike team’s fantastic 1-2 in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship following a double victory at Zandvoort.

Once again driving for the German-based Haupt Racing Team in the Mercedes-AMG GT3, Penrith-born Frank helped Australian teammate Jordan Love secure the driver’s championship in the Silver Cup and in doing so, the pair claimed the team’s title on the final race weekend of the season at the Dutch track. 

After a successful season so far with two class wins and five further podium finishes, the team were just a single point behind the series leaders going into the final two races. Saturday's race started in unsettled weather conditions but on the rain-soaked track, Love started from second position in class. At the start of the race, he was able to move up a few places and handed the #77 car over to Bird as class leader leaving him to cross the line to win the Silver Cup, recording their third victory of the season, and claiming a remarkable sixth place in the overall standings.

Starting the final race day as the championship leader in the team’s class, Frank was able to take advantage of the difficult qualifying conditions and claim pole position in the Silver Cup to start the race from the second row of the grid. From there, the Cumbrian coped well with the difficult conditions in the race and handed over to Jordan who took another victory in the Silver Cup. 

At the end of an eventful race, the Haupt Racing Team secured its fourth class win of the season and a strong sixth place overall meaning the team from Drees was the strongest Mercedes-AMG in the field this weekend. They won the Silver Cup team championship with a 17-point lead whilst Love was crowned driver's champion in his class. 

As well as the team honours, Frank was able to secure fourth place in the driver's championship despite having to miss two recent races following the death of his instrumental father Paul last month.. 

Frank Bird, #77Mercedes-AMG Team HRT: “Wow, what a weekend where to even start! Firstly from my side it was fantastic to finally be back in the car in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Silver Cup Championship. Overall I’m super happy with the weekend and it was great to finally piece everything together with P3 overall in qualifying and to lead the race outright in race two. Unfortunately the weather hit midway through the stint and we lost some time on slicks in the wet as it was a bit sketchy. It was fantastic that I could get my teammate over the line to win the Silver Cup Championship for him and help secure the team title too, which is a huge accomplishment and well deserved. Thanks to all the team for everything this year, it’s been a pleasure. Racing myself ultimately meant I couldn’t be present at Brands Hatch for the final British Superbike Championship round. That was left in great hands with my sister Jordan at the helm. Congratulations to our two riders, Tommy Bridewell and Glenn Irwin, for their outstanding seasons individually and to get our ninth BSB championship over the line and also a 1-2 in both races as well as in the championsip is the icing on the cake. They really did my dad proud! Thanks to all our sponsors for making this whole season happen.”
 
Pictures courtesy of www.gt-world-challenge-europe.com

For further information, please visit https://media.hauptracingteam.de

PODIUMS, POINTS AND PRIZES FOR HAGER PBM DUCATI

May 18, 2025
THE Hager PBM Ducati team heads home from Donington Park fired up for the rest of the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike season after rider Glenn Irwin clinched a second and a third in today’s two races. Irwin narrowly missed out on what could have been two wins at the iconic Derbyshire track – but he and the team leave feeling excited about the rest of the year after a strong performance. It had been a tougher start to the weekend as the team struggled with a few niggling issues, but after topping Friday’s timesheets, Irwin clocked the third quickest time in Qualifying to line up on the front row for Saturday’s race. Moving into second position at Turn One, he settled into a good rhythm and as he found himself in a three-way battle, took the lead on Lap Eight. However, a few issues struck in closing laps which left him unable to hold off his rivals and he slipped back to fourth. Determined to make amends on Sunday, Irwin once again started from third on the grid. Getting a good start, he was up to second by the end of Lap Two and quickly began reeling in leader Bradley Ray. A move for the front at the Fogarty Esses on the fourth lap didn’t pay off but he wasn’t giving up, quickly closing back in on his rival. On Lap Eight, he tried again to dive down the inside at the same spot but wasn’t able to make it, running down the slip road and slipping back to fourth. He fought hard in the remaining four laps to catch the bike ahead, making the move into the chicane on the final lap to secure third place. It was another front row start for the final race and he held third place into Turn One, settling into position for the opening laps. By Lap Eight he was challenging Rory Skinner for third and as the race reached the halfway point on Lap 10, he made the move into Turn One and moved into second position. More than two seconds adrift of leader Ray, Irwin put his head down and pushed hard, quickly reducing the gap and with three laps to go was just 0.296 behind. Once again, he tried a move at the Fogarty Esses but wasn’t able to make it work and despite pushing on, wasn’t able to pass. He crossed the line just 0.396secs behind his rival and picked up another strong haul of points. He also set a new lap record, with a 1min 28.832s on the penultimate lap. Glenn Irwin: “We’ve had a fourth, a third and a second so we’re going in the right direction. Race one was really, really tough. We had a limiting factor with the bike on Friday and Saturday which wasn’t rectified until Sunday morning, and it was a good chunk better today. “I think the Sprint race was one that we could’ve won but we made a mistake. I think in the last race we played the right game, we were patient and again we could perhaps have won. I made a similar mistake at the same corner and it left us a lot of work to do with two laps to go. “Setting a new lap record on Lap 19 was good and we may have lost a couple of points but at this stage of the year, two points here or there is nothing and I’m quite happy either way. “Hats off to the team because they worked very hard this weekend and they gave me something that was missing and it’s so much better now. We now have a bit of a break, I’ll head to the TT for 10 days and chill out but keep training hard, working harder and trust that the wins will come.” Frank Bird Jnr, Team Co-owner: “It’s been a very positive weekend, very consistent, which is obviously a good sign. We got there with the bike setup, I think we’ve found what we were missing at Oulton Park. “It’s still only the second round so everyone is still getting into it, learning the bike, learning the new tyre but thank you to all the boys, they’ve been mega all weekend and have really worked hard. “Glenn rode his heart out in all three races and we are definitely in the mix…now we will just keep going and look forward to the rest of the season.” The championship now takes a break until mid June, when the pack will resume duties at Snetterton.

ROUND TWO BECKONS FOR HAGER PBM DUCATI

May 14, 2025
THE Hager PBM Ducati squad is heading to Donington Park this weekend as the second round of the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike Championship roars into action at the iconic track. The team and rider Glenn Irwin will be looking to build on their success at the opening round, where the Northern Irishman clinched two second place finishes, putting him third in the championship chase but equal on 32 points with his rivals sitting first and second. It’s been a tough fortnight where the racing community has mourned the loss of riders Owen Jenner and Shane Richardson – and the team has been particularly affected by the death of Owen, a close friend of owners Jordan, Frank and other team members. Now, hopes are high that the team and Irwin can deliver a string of podium finishes this weekend, with performances which both boys would be proud of. Glenn Irwin, rider: “Looking ahead to the weekend you almost feel a little bit guilty, because obviously we all want to continue to pay our respects to Owen and Shane’s families, and when we look back at Oulton Park, the whole event is overshadowed by this sadness. “But if I was to look just purely at the riding side of things and the teamwork, I felt we did a good job. We had some difficult moments but we did well to come from 14 th to second in Race One and particularly Race two, after four laps we were 3.3 off and eight laps later to only be 0.1 off the win was very pleasing. “I think as riders, we all know what we achieved in terms of race pace over the two races, we only ever took time out of Bradley (Ray) and Leon (Haslam) and for me that was confidence inspiring. I think we fired our own warning shots without winning races which is important for our own confidence and important to cement ourselves in the thoughts of our rivals as well. “This weekend and the whole championship in general is going to be close. The three of us who were in it at Oulton will be there, I expect Kyle (Ryde) to be there and Danny Kent to also join the party this weekend…it’s going to be a good one.” Jordan Bird, Team Co-owner: “As usual, we are ready for business this weekend - although this one is a little different. We race at Donington Park for Owen and Shane. “Of course, we have a job to do but our thoughts will never be far away from both of them and we continue to send our love and best wishes to their families. “We know it’s going to be a tough weekend in many ways for the team and for the paddock as a whole but we look forward to doing the best job we possibly can in memory of Owen and Shane.”  Round Two of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship gets underway at Donington Park this Friday, May 16 with two free practice sessions ahead of Qualifying and Race One on Saturday, followed by two further races on Sunday, May 18.
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