29-year old Portuguese driver, Bernardo Sousa, is to retire immediately from his active career in rallying, and has told the Drive DMack Fiesta Trophy team he will not be starting in either Germany or Spain.
He cited family concerns and funding issues.
Resident in the island of Madeira where his family has shipping interests, he began regular national rallying in 2006 and 2007, entering international events in 2008 with Production Car Championship Mitsubishis run by the BRR Red Bull Team.
He then contested these events in a Fiat Grande Punto S2000 in 2009 and in 2010 concentrated on national events, winning the national Portuguese title.
He finished fourth in the 2011 FIA Super 2000 championship in a Peugeot 207 S2000, had a troubled season in 2012 when he was invited to drive a Lotus Exige R-GT car.
He drove a Fiesta RRC in 2014 and this year has been competing on the DDFT series. On the opening round of the series, he was leading the category when he went off the road in curious circumstances on the final stage.
He has confirmed his company will continue to run Citroen DS3 R1 cars on national events for Gonzalo Ignatius and Diogo Soares.
"I am closing this chapter of my life. On one hand, I feel some pain, but on the other it is the reality of our country. Honestly, I'm cool,” Sousa said.
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