Le Mans 24 is the aim for race ace Bird

AFTER a successful season in the British National Junior Karting Championship, Max Bird narrowly missed out on a top-ten overall placing in the championship through a technical problem in the final round.
By The Newsroom
Published 3rd Jun 2015, 16:58 BST

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Max Bird has a big year in front of himMax Bird has a big year in front of him
Max Bird has a big year in front of him

Now he has begun the transition from karts to cars, with the aim of becoming a professional racing driver and racing in the Le Mans 24hr sports-car endurance race.

Bird passed the racing-car driver test at Silverstone to get his car-racing licence and has been participating in a number of test days in a Ginetta Junior sports car in preparation for next season.

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The 14-year-old Slindon College pupil, who lives in Chidham, will join 25 other 14 to 17-year-old drivers taking part in the 2016 Ginetta Junior Championship which runs alongside the BTCC (British Touring Car Championship), the Porsche GB Supercup and British Formula Ford championships. The Ginetta Junior championship will take place at all the major circuits in the UK, including Brands Hatch, Silverstone, Thruxton, Donington, Rockingham, Oulton Park and Snetterton and will run between April and October 2016.

The car is a Ginetta G40 with a Ford 1800cc engine built in the UK and the race format is such that the Ginetta Junior races immediately precede the British Touring cars ensuring that the sponsors receive the maximum exposure possible throughout the weekend.

As a result there will again be considerable interest in the series which will be broadcast live on ITV4, ITV4 HD to a predicted audience of more than 21 million viewers over the ten rounds. It is expected to attract in excess of 450,000 trackside spectators, providing sponsors with a unique opportunity to reach millions of fans both trackside and via TV.

Bird is a member of a dedicated Racing Driver training programme focused on maximising his on-track and off-track potential, with the aim of providing him with the necessary skills and support to help him make a successful transition from karting into racing cars.

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The programme focuses on developing Bird’s driving skills, concentration, focus, mental and physical strength, fitness, diet and marketing and communications skills required to be a successful professional racing driver.

To be able to achieve success Bird is looking for sponsors who he can work with now and for the future as he makes his way.

The benefits of sponsorship can be wide ranging and tailored to individual requirements. Running alongside the BTCC gives the Ginetta Junior series a very high profile and presents sponsors with a unique opportunity, especially with the increasing TV audience.

The Ginetta Junior series uses recognisable showroom cars racing bumper to bumper in close competitive racing.

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Motorsport sponsorship doesn’t have to be prohibitively expensive – you can become part of the team for as little as £1,000.

Anyone interested in supporting Max in his journey as a professional racing driver can contact his father Tim Bird on 07850 218010 or by email at [email protected].

You can follow Max’s progress at www.maxbird.co.uk or on Twitter @maxbird35 or on https://www.facebook.com/maxbirdracing.

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