Sam Bird has created a career as a successful racing driver across a range of series and now races in Formula E, so here’s everything you need to know about the Briton.
The one-time Mercedes Formula 1 test driver has competed in Formula E since the series’ inaugural season in 2014/15 with Virgin Racing and also won races in Putrajaya and London.
Bird hasn’t yet won a title in Formula E but was a contender in the early days of the championship, finishing third in 2017/18.
The British driver has also competed at Le Mans and in the World Endurance Championship, showcasing impressive adaptability behind the wheel.
Sam Bird won the second-ever Formula E race in 2014
The groundbreaking Formula E Championship kicked off in 2014, and the world’s first-ever all-electric motorsport series had its debut race in Beijing, China.
Bird finished third, sharing the podium with former Formula 1 drivers Franck Montagny and the race winner Lucas Di Grassi.
The eery silence of Formula E cars provided a unique spectacle in a championship that, in its early years, competed solely on street circuits rather than permanent tracks more commonly seen in other single-seater championships, such as F1 and IndyCar.
Bird, after setting up his campaign perfectly with a podium in China, stepped up next time out in Putrajaya, Malaysia.
The British driver kept on the track as ex-F1 driver Nick Heidfeld was disqualified from the results after an illegal car change.
He suffered a mixed season after his victory in Malaysia, finishing in P7 and P8 in Uruguay and Argentina, dropping critical points in the title battle.
A series of retirements and top-10 finishes in Formula E’s first season before the perfect end to the season with a victory in London.
Britain held the final round of the season with a doubleheader at the Battersea Park Street Circuit. Bird took sixth in the first race before driving to victory and two points for setting the fastest lap in the final race of the season.
Sam Bird battled multiple future Formula 1 drivers in GP2
The GP2 Series, now known as Formula 2, began in 2005 and has produced many drivers who have competed in Formula 1, including world champions Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
A lot more of the current grid also learned the tricks of the trade in the second tier of motorsport, including race winners Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc.
Bird initially had the goal of racing in Formula 1 and took part in the young drivers test at the end of the 2010 season for Mercedes in Abu Dhabi.
He spent three years in GP2, beginning with ART in 2010, scoring four third-place finishes over the season and winning at Monza.
The grid featured Sergio Perez and Pastor Maldonado, who battled for the championship and both won a Grand Prix in Formula 1.
Bird had a mixed season with a podium at Istanbul Park under the nose of Formula 1, and next time out at Valencia was followed by a failure to start the second race of the weekend at his home event at Silverstone.
Coming back for a second season with iSport International amongst a field with nine drivers who went on to race in Formula 1.
Yet 2011 only yielded a pair of podium finishes in Turkey once more and a third place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya before fading away from a title battle.
After a year in Formula Renault V8 3.5 in 2012, the F1 hopeful returned to GP2 for a third attempt. His 2013 campaign also yielded his best points tally during his one and only season with Russian Time alongside Frenchman, Tom Dillmann.
Bird narrowly missed out on the title by 20 points to Fabio Leimer but drove to five victories, including a win on the streets of Monaco.
During the season he competed against Marcus Ericsson, who drove in Formula 1 and won the Indy 500, as well as Jolyon Palmer, who had a short, unsuccessful stint at the highest level.
So, with that in mind, here is everything that you need to know about Bird on and off the track…
How old is Sam Bird? Where was he born?
Bird is 37 years old and was born on the 9th of January 1987 in Greater London.
How tall is Sam Bird? What is his height in feet?
Bird is believed to be 5’8 or 172cm.
What is Sam Bird’s net worth?
Bird’s net worth is speculated online to be in the region of $1-$3million (£750k-2.5m).
Sam Bird’s Formula E career stats
Formula E titles: 0
Formula E race entries: 125
Formula E wins: 12
Formula E poles: 6
Formula E podiums: 27