NEOM McLaren driver Sam Bird has spoken to Motorsport Week during this week’s FIA Formula E pre-season test in Jarama.
The FE veteran has been an omnipresent figure in the sport since its inception ten years ago, seeing it through GEN1 to the current GEN3 Evo. The introduction of the package updated from the GEN3 car has left Bird bouncing with enthusiasm.
“Yeah, it’s very exciting. I think the introduction of all-wheel drive, 350, is awesome. Adds a new element, kind of showcases what Formula E can do.
“It’s great pace, new compound from Hankook, which is exciting. New aero updates, we’ve got the attack charge, so lots going on in Formula E that’s very positive.”
Bird joined the nascent McLaren electric project last season, and showed he’s lost none of the old magic, taking victory in Brazil after a daring last-lap overtake on former team-mate Mitch Evans. The season was one of missed opportunities for the team, unable to capitalise on good positions in races with a fair share of bad luck along the way.
Bird is confident in the team’s ability to climb up the field.
“Yeah, I’m pretty happy with where we’re going and how we’re going about things,” he said, “so definitely want to get further up the pit lane.
“The aim is to score more points as a team and have more podiums.”
McLaren has been a customer of Nissan since joining Formula E, and the works team enjoyed a fruitful renaissance in Season 10, with Oliver Rowland keeping himself in title contention up until the final race.
Bird is aware that the partnership is something McLaren need to capitalise on, especially with the knowledge that the opportunity for a customer team to out-perform the works outfit is always a possibility.
Bird acknowledges the room for improvement McLaren can make.
“Yeah, we can [improve]. I genuinely think Ollie Rowland had a season of all seasons. He drove beautifully, brilliantly. I mean, really, really top.
“Nissan definitely did make a step forwards for last year and we, as a team, and myself and Jake [Hughes, former team-mate] didn’t utilise it enough on a few occasions.
“If we had, we would have looked an awful lot better in the points, both as drivers and as a team. The goal this year is to be more consistent and score points on far more occasions and not leave so many points out there on the table.”
‘I’m old enough to be his dad!‘
Bird is part of a line-up that blends youth with his experience, with new-team mate Taylor Barnard born the year Bird first drove in single-seaters, and is full of nothing except praise for his young partner.
“The kid is rapid! He’s rapid! He’s really quick, he’s great. He’s young. I am old enough to be his dad! But he’s fast. He’s fast and he’s a nice young man.”
Bird is showing his age when you realise he is one of very few drivers to have any experience of the Jarama circuit. An old school circuit with Zandvoort-style banked corners and uphill gradients, Bird is a fan of the layout.
“So learning is a bit slightly different, I think we’re all loving the challenge,” he says. “I think the track is awesome, so fun. I mean, it’s really not like anything we’re ever going to experience within our calendar currently, but yeah, cool challenge – really, really fun.
“I mean, you make a mistake, you can have a catastrophic shunt, couldn’t you, with some of these corners. But no, great fun.
“If Formula E said we’re coming back here again next year, I wouldn’t be adverse to that. Obviously, Valencia has been our home for so long, and we’re all hoping that everybody in Valencia is able to get up and running again soon and what has happened there is devastating and shocking. Our hearts all go out to them.
“Formula E has done a great job getting us here and yes, the circuit here is mega.”
Off the track, Bird is a keen golfer and dog-walker, something his Instagram followers will vouch for, but despite the summer to have some downtime, the work going into Season 11 has never been far away.
“Yeah, I’ve had some downtime. Work never stops. We’ve been on the simulator; we’ve done a little bit of in-house testing with Nissan, going to a couple of places. That’s been good fun but I’m chomping at the bit to get back to work.”
