Sam Bird is one of Britain’s brightest up-and-coming single-seater hopes, and his outstanding performances on his way up through the junior formulae have seen him land a plum Formula 3 ride for 2007.
The Surrey ace, just turned 20, will no doubt be aiming to emulate his impressive achievements in both Formula BMW and Formula Renault over the past couple of years, when he lines up on the British F3 grid for Carlin Motorsport over the forthcoming campaign. Here he tells us how he is anticipating the season ahead.
Q:
You’ve just announced an exciting new deal for 2007, haven’t you Sam?
Sam Bird:
I have, yes. I’ve recently signed with Carlin in F3 and hopefully I will have a fantastic year.
Q:
How are you looking forward to the year ahead?
SB:
I’m really, really looking forward to it. I had a great 2005 and a really good 2006, so if 2007 is anywhere near as good as those two years I will be very happy indeed.
Q:
You mentioned the fact you had a great 2005 and 2006. You were racing in Formula BMW and Formula Renault UK in those two years. How pleased were you with the way they went?
SB:
I was really pleased. I was runner-up in Formula
BMW, though I should have won the title, and I was fourth in Formula Renault but should have been third. We have had two very good years but I want to win a title now. I feel I’m ready to win a title and I would like to be able to do so in F3. I’m not saying I definitely will – it’s going to be extremely tough – but I would like to be in contention to win it this year.
Q:
Nevertheless, your fourth position in Formula Renault last year came during your rookie season didn’t it?
SB:
Yes, and I was relatively pleased with that. We had a couple of disastrous rounds at
Donington and
Oulton Park, which really badly hindered my progress in the championship. If it were not for those we could have done a lot better, but overall I was chuffed with the way it went.
Q:
How different to one another were the Formula Renault and BMW cars to drive?
