BeerMonster Ducati British Superbike Championship riders Glenn Irwin and Tommy Bridewell have both paid an emotional tribute to their fallen team manager Paul Bird following his death at the age of 56.
Bird, owner and founder of the multiple title-winning Paul Bird Motorsport team, passed away after a short illness on 1 September [Friday].
Helming the UK’s most successful motorcycle racing outfit, Bird has overseen eight BSB riders’ titles, victories in WorldSBK and the Isle of Man TT and competed at the highest levels in MotoGP.
- 2023 BSB Championship Standings -
While PBM’s most recent title win in BSB came in 2020, it is well on course to notch up a ninth crown courtesy of Bridewell and Irwin, who command a 1-2 in the overall standings with three rounds remaining after winning 13 of this season’s 24 races to date
For Irwin, who got his big break in BSB with Paul Bird Motorsport back in 2016 before returning for the 2023 campaign, his passing has left an indelible mark.
“Paul Bird “Bossman”,” he began on Twitter
“I can’t believe your gone, boss. Only late on Monday night after Cadwell we were texting, how happy you were with the weekend, how Mr Ciabatti [Ducati Sporting Director] had contacted you and you wanted to get 2024 boxed off.
“I told you no stress but you were being the typical Bird man, offering WorldSBK wild-cards, Daytona 200, stuff that other teams simply just would not do. That’s what set you aside to the general public but to us who knew you on the inside there was so much more.
[sic] “I owe you for so much that I have achieved in my career… there’s only one way to repay you.”
Also writing on Twitter, Bridewell said it was a privilege to have raced with Paul Bird after so many years competing against one another.
“This photo was taken after I won both races at Brands Hatch, where I stopped at Paul in pit lane and said to him, ‘Thank you for this amazing team Boss’ he had a tear in his eye and said I fucking love you. I’m privileged to be able to say I ride for PBM Motorsport.”
Bridewell currently leads Irwin by 14.5 points in the BSB standings with nine races remaining, the PBM duo a respective 51 and 36.5 points clear of third place man Kyle Ryde on the OMG Racing Yamaha.
