January 16, 2022

Bird Kicks Off 2022 In Style With Brands Hatch Victory

Cumbrian driver Frank Bird continued where he left off last month by once again dominating the latest round of the Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship with MSVR which took place with the MGJ Engineering Brands Hatch Winter Stages Rally yesterday. 

The event formed the fourth qualifying round of the series and following his victory on the opening round at Oulton Park in November and round three at Donington Park last month, 22-year-old Frank, from Penrith, along with Lake District-based co-driver Jack Morton once again weren’t headed and took the win by over a minute.

 

In the Dom Buckley Motorsport-prepared and Frank Bird Poultry-backed Ford Fiesta Rally2 with assistance from Hager, Fuchs Titan Oils and Aico, despite a misty and icy start, the pair led from the off and comfortably won all eight stages around various roads at the famous Kent venue.

In doing so, Bird retained his MGJ Engineering Brands Hatch Winter Stages Rally crown after victory on the event last time it


was run in 2020 and along with Hexham-born Morton, the pair's winning tally now stands at fourteen outright victories and three MSN rounds in a row.

 

Frank Bird:   “What a fantastic way to start the year. I spent most of the morning blowing the cobwebs off as I’ve not driven in over a month but once we got into the groove, it all came together, and I felt comfortable in the car. It was very slippery all day, so I didn’t take too many risks and came out with the win. The car never missed a beat and as ever, thanks to Jack on the maps, the whole team headed by Neil Buckley and of course my dad and our loyal sponsors.”

 

Results – The MGJ Engineering Brands Hatch Winter Stages Rally


  1. Frank Bird/Jack Morton (Ford Fiesta Rally2)                           
  2. John Stone/Tom Woodburn (VW Polo R5) +1 min 17 secs
  3. Neil Roskell/Andrew Roughead (Ford Fiesta R5) +1:22
  4. John Griffiths/Tom Rogers (Ford Fiesta R5) +1:46
  5. Andy Scott/ Laura Connell (Ford Fiesta) +1:48
  6. Joshua Davey/Tamsyn Davey (Darrian T90)  +2.26

 

Images courtesy of Russ Otway and SMJ Photography.

IRWIN AND HAGER PBM DUCATI WRAP-UP SUCCESSFUL TESTING PROGRAMME

April 24, 2025
THE Hager PBM Ducati team and rider Glenn Irwin have completed another successful R&G Official test at Oulton Park, with the opening round of the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike Championship now just over a week away. Irwin and the team have spent the last two days at the Cheshire track, grabbing as much track time as possible in the final days on track before the season begins. After ending last weekend’s Donington Park test on top, the team was keen to continue to push in the final two days, working through a busy schedule and trying a host of new components and ideas. Irwin ended the test second quickest overall after clocking the best lap of Thursday afternoon’s final session, banking a 1min 33.313s lap on his last run. He leaves feeling confident about next weekend’s opening round and can’t wait to get back out. Glenn Irwin: “That’s us finished pre-season testing and I’m feeling good. We’ve been working, working, working and the bike felt better today but we still have a bit of work to do. “It’s been really, really enjoyable, we’ve tried a number of different things and I think now we’re finding a bit of a balance. Today we unlocked something in that middle session, I did a good few 33s in that run so I think we’re strong. “It’s definitely been very productive. We haven’t gone for lap times, we’ve been focussed on getting the bike right and when that happens, the lap times come. That’s what we’re starting to see and I think we’re in a good place to come back next week and start the season.” Frank Bird Jnr, Team Co-owner: “It’s a mega way to finish, this puts us in really good stead for the season and we’ve got a lot of boxes ticked off with the bike. All the boys are working well, we’ve got everyone back into the swing of things and Glenn seems to be riding well, so we’re in a good window for the first round. “It’s been a long winter but all the hard work seems to be paying off and we’re right in the mix. It means we can come here for Round One and we’re in a great place to start from.” The opening round of the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike Championship roars into action at Oulton Park over the May Bank Holiday weekend, May 3-5.

IRWIN AND HAGER PBM DUCATI END SUCCESSFUL SECOND TEST ON TOP

April 19, 2025
THE Hager PBM Ducati team continued its strong testing form at Donington Park as rider Glenn Irwin once again ended the two days fastest overall. Although the team is still not concentrating on lap times, Irwin picked up where he left off at Circuito de Navarra earlier this month as he led the way on Friday before going even quicker on Day Two with an impressive fastest lap of 1min 27.015s in the final session. After a strong first test where he topped the timesheets at Navarra, the team headed to the second R&G Official test at Donington Park looking to work on a number of different things. Irwin was consistently quick across the opening day, ending Friday fastest overall with a 1:27.022sec lap in the final session to end the day at the top of the timesheets with what was the fastest ever BSB lap of the iconic track. Along with most of the pack, he opted to sit out of Saturday morning’s first session due to track conditions, heading out for the second to work through a few more things. He again shot to the top of the timesheets with a lap of 1:27.468, before later going one better in the final session to clock his new fastest ever lap. Glenn Irwin: “It’s been really good, like Navarra, we’ve continued with a plan. Yesterday we had a really, really strong bike here and conditions were a little better. Today conditions were tougher with the wind but everyone still finds a way to go fast. “We probably persevered with a bike which is suited to the final sector, perhaps Turn One as well. As the day went on I realised we were losing a bit in some places but we stuck with it. “It’s pleasing because I would say that isn’t the bike of choice for here, perhaps maybe yesterday's bike was better, but to top today feeling like that, to do a lot of laps in the 27s with improved pace on old tyres is good. The test has definitely been a success.” John Mowatt, Team Co-ordinator: “I think it’s been a positive test where we’ve confirmed a number of test items over the two days. We had slightly better conditions yesterday than today but I think we’ve ticked a lot of boxes, gone fairly quick so it’s all positive – roll on Oulton Park. “The plan there is more of the same, just keep trying to understand the new tyre, try and work with it. I think longevity is going to be the key now for Oulton Park, we’ll do a couple of race runs, see how the tyre lasts and then get ready for Round One.” The team will now prepare for the final test at Oulton Park next Wednesday and Thursday, April 23 and 24 which will be the last chance to get everything ready ahead of the first round of the 2025 season at Oulton Park over the May Bank Holiday weekend.
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