Teenager Frank Bird “can’t wait to get started again” as the 2017 Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup season gets under way this weekend.

The 17-year-old Be Wiser, Hager and Frank Bird Poultry-backed driver was in action at the final round of the 2016 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season.

It was held at Estoril in Portugal last October where Bird, originally from Penrith, posted a pair of impressive results.

The Cumbrian was making his debut in a European Championship race after a hectic season in the highly competitive BTCC-supporting MSA F4 British Championship, and this season he will contest the full series with Fortec Motorsport.

“I’m really looking forward to this weekend as it’s been a very long break but I can’t wait to get started again,” Bird said.

“I know it’s going to be a difficult weekend and a huge challenge, especially visiting tracks I’ve never been to but it’s one I’m relishing.

“I know the type of competition I’m up against after racing at Estoril last year and I’m confident we can be competitive.”

Paul Bird, Paul Bird Motorsport’s team owner, added: “Frank drove really well in very demanding conditions on his debut in the series last year but it looked as if he’d driven the car all year.

“He beat some quality drivers and did a great job so I’ve every confidence in him continuing that form at Monza.

“He really has matured as a driver over the past year and hopefully he can make a good start to the season.”

Formula One’s Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo, Alain Prost, Jacques Laffite and Kimi Raïkkönen were all involved with a Formula Renault series during their respective careers.

The 2017 Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup season will start on Sunday at Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy, before moving to the UK with the second meet at Silverstone on May 14. The season will end at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in October.