Jake Byrne quits young driver of the year programme

Racing driver Jake Byrne has abandoned his Motorsport Ireland Young Driver of the Year programme with immediate effect after it appears he is unhappy with his UK Formula Ford campaign - the prize for winning the prestigious award.

The Kildare driver announced on Wednesday that he was withdrawing from the award scheme and as a result he will not compete at Rockingham this weekend.

He said: “I feel I have no choice. I have had issues from day one and I have had a few meetings and there were some suggested solutions but unfortunately none of these have materialised. My only alternative is to withdraw from the prize drive. I don’t feel the support I was promised was forthcoming and I will now reconsider my options going forward for 2016.”