Elmbridge race ace Sam Bird has set his sights on landing a Formula One drive and, if the chance came tomorrow he would be ready.
The Hersham 25-year-old last week sealed a deal with team ISR to compete in the Formula Renault World Series this season, having impressed in GP2 over the past two years.
Bird, who has one GP2 race win and seven podium finishes to his name, spent five days testing with F1 outfit Mercedes AMG Petronas during the course of last year – working alongside seven-time world F1 champion Michael Schumacher.
And the former Millfield School student has insisted he is ready to make the step up when the time comes.
“This is a big year for me. I’ve proven I can win races and get regular podiums at GP2 level,” he said.
“Now it is a case of getting that race seat with a Formula One team. That is the target.
“I have been working hard to get as fit as I possibly can so that I am as F1 ready as possible if the chance comes along.”
Bird’s new deal will allow him to concentrate on his duties with Mercedes AMG Petronas on race weekends, while at the same time challenging for a title of his own with Prague-based ISR.
He will race 3.5 litre, 480bhp Renaults at tracks including Silverstone, Monaco, Spa and Catalunya, while at the same time travelling the world on the F1 circuit.
“This is a good step for me,” he added.
“In GP2 a lot of the races clash with F1, so I couldn’t do my job with Petronas as well. This is the best of both worlds.
“It is a competitive championship and because there are no clashes I can compete at every round and keep getting that race experience.
“It should be a competitive car and we hope to be challenging at the top end of the series table.
“ISR had Daniel Ricciardo – who has just joined the Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 team – last year and he finished fifth in championship. I expect to be up there.”
Bird’s campaign kicks off at the Motorland Aragon circuit in Spain on May 6.
Sam Bird will switch from GP2 to Formula Renault 3.5 for 2012, joining frontrunning team ISR.
The Briton, who finished sixth in GP2 last year, moves to the team which took current Toro Rosso Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo to two victories in 2011.
“I’m extremely pleased about this opportunity to drive for ISR in World Series by Renault,” said Bird, who retains his links to the Mercedes Formula 1 team as well for this season.
“World Series is a great championship in which numerous Formula 1 drivers have shone in the past, and this year’s field seems to be particularly competitive.
“ISR have a proven track record and I am really looking forward to joining forces with them.”
Team boss Igor Salaquarda hopes that a line-up of Bird and Jake Rosenzweig will help land ISR its first title in the Renault-backed category.
“I am very happy to have Sam in my team,” he said. “He has experience of both Formula 1 and GP2 and I feel confident that his talent will help us on the way to more success.
“We will do our maximum to prepare the best cars and dearly hope to win our first World Series by Renault championship.”
American Jake Rosenzweig, who raced for Mofaz in the series last year, will be Bird’s team-mate.
