BeerMonster Ducati

BeerMonster Ducati

Machinery
Ducati
Owner
Paul Bird
Located
Penrith
Pedigree
Multiple BSB champions
First Race
1999

Team Biography

A former Grand Prix motocross rider until injury forced him to retire; Paul Bird started helping local riders back in the early 90s before starting his own team in 1996. For the next decade, Paul Bird Motorsport established itself as one of the leading teams in both the British Championships and on the roads culminating in nine domestic titles as well as two prestigious Isle of Man TT victories.

Based in Langwathby in Cumbria, PBM’s global motorsport operation combines motorsport on both two wheels and four. In addition to two-wheel competition, his son Frank Bird continues his racing career in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance & Sprint Cup. He also plans to continue his meteoric rise in the world of rallying with occasional events. Paul's daughter Lexi Bird also competes in selected motocross and kart race events.

The PBM Team has a strong pedigree having won consecutive British Superbike Championship titles, first with the late, legendary Steve Hislop in 2002 and then Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne a year later, with Stuart Easton also winning the Supersport title to add to John McGuinness’ 250cc crown of 1999. 

PBM returned to the Championship from the world stage in 2012 and added that season’s crown to their previous two consecutive title victories with the late Steve Hislop and Shane 'Shakey' Byrne from 2002 and 2003.

The team had a strong start to their 2012 season with Shakey a proven winner claiming the title for the team in 2014 before completing his strive for five titles in 2016 as the team moved back to Ducati machinery.

In 2017 Byrne went on to fight for the title, needing to overhaul a 33 point deficit to claim the title, which he did to claim his sixth crown before having his season in 2018 curtailed through injury.

In 2019 the team completed a 1-2 finish in the title fight with Scott Redding and Josh Brookes, with five points separating the pair in the final standings.

Brookes retained the title for the team in 2020, winning his second title at the Brands Hatch season finale, with teammate Christian Iddon ending his first season with the team in third. However, Brookes had one of his toughest season's in the series for his title defence, qualifying narrowly for the Showdown. Iddon meanwhile finished the championship in fourth position.

In 2022 the team lined up with 2013 World Champion Tom Sykes, lining up alongside Brookes, but it was a challenging campaign and the team are now bidding for a unprecedented ninth title with last year's title runner-up Glenn Irwin alongside Tommy Bridewell who finished third in the 2022 title chase.

On 1 September 2023, Paul Bird sadly passed away following a short illness in hospital at the age of 56.

His PBM Team continue to fight on track for the 2023 Bennetts British Superbike Championship title.