Disappointed Bird Makes His Mark At Monza
Cumbrian driver Frank Bird’s hopes of an impressive result on his World Rally Championship debut were dashed on the penultimate stage of the second day of the FORUM8 ACI Rally Monza when suspension damage forced him out.
Along with Lake District-based co-driver Jack Morton, Bird, from Penrith, was contesting the final round of the 2021 FIA World Rally Championship in the WRC3 class on the Italian event in the Dom Buckley Motorsport-prepared and Frank Bird Poultry-backed Ford Fiesta Rally2 with assistance from Hager, Fuchs Titan Oils, Aico and Yuasa.
26th fastest out of the eighty crews on Thursday’s Shakedown stage, Bird continued his great start on Friday with a string of top thirty placings on the opening seven stages of the Alpine closed roads around Bergamo as well as at the legendary Autodromo Nazionale de Monza race circuit near Milan.
The pair held 27th place overall and ninth in the WRC3 class overnight before Saturday’s loop took in another six stages in the north of the country and once again, they were holding their own whilst gaining experience at the very highest level and consolidating their position when they tackled the 12th stage around the Monza race track late in the afternoon.
Sadly, they clipped a concrete block after braking for a chicane, which damaged the suspension and the resulting investigation in the service area revealed some structural damage to the chassis and meant they couldn’t continue for the final three stages on Sunday.
Frank Bird: “It was a tough end to the rally for us as a small mistake had huge consequences. It would have been great to finish the rally, but these things happen, it was definitely an eye-opening experience, but I learnt a hell of a lot. My pace was getting quicker and quicker the more I settled in, and I loved every second of it. Thanks to the team, my dad, and our loyal sponsors for this wonderful opportunity, and I’m sorry we never made it to the end. Hopefully, we’ll be able to contest another WRC event in the future.”
