Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography
Joseph Loake will spend a third year racing for JHR Developments as he steps up to GB3 with the team.
The 17-year-old has spent the past two seasons in British Formula 4 with JHR, winning three races and coming sixth in the standings as a rookie and then claiming four wins and two pole positions to improve to fifth in last year’s points table.
He also did two F4 United Arab Emirates rounds with the team in 2022 in advance of his second British F4 campaign to learn the new Tatuus T-421 car.
Loake will be reunited with 2021 British F4 champion and team-mate Matthew Rees, who is also continuing with JHR for a third year and won in GB3 last season.
“I’m looking forward to the start of the season,” said Loake.
“It should be good coming off the back of a strong end to our F4 campaign, as we started on the back foot and came good in the second half of the year. It was a positive way to end it, so hopefully we’ll be fighting for the championship.
“There are some new tracks to learn but I love a good challenge. We did a couple of days of testing at Spa-Francorchamps in November in the GB3 car and it was very positive. I’m really looking forward to Zandvoort and I’ve heard a lot of good things about it as I enjoy high-speed corners and with the high downforce nature of the GB3 car, I think it will be a lot of fun.
“I’m in the gym six days a week preparing for the season as the cars are a step on from F4 as there’s a lot more downforce and power. The F4 car was quite unusual to drive, and it didn’t really suit my style, but I felt really comfortable the first time I jumped in the GB3 car, and the speed is there.
“I can’t wait to work with Matt [Rees] again as I missed him last year. We’re polar opposites in terms of our driving but we can learn from each other as a consequence, so it should be a very productive relationship.”
Before single-seaters, Loake spent two years in the BRSCC Fiesta Junior championship. He took five wins and was championship runner-up in 2019, before winning every race en-route to the title the following season.
JHR’s team principal Steve Hunter added: “We’re very happy that Joseph will continue to race with us in 2023, making the step up to GB3.
“He joined us with plenty of raw talent having had that brilliant run in Fiestas and quickly adapted his driving style to suit single-seater racing in F4 and learned last year’s new car as well.
“With plenty of victories and podium success it would be no surprise to see him quickly at the front of the field in GB3 and we’ll be working hard to ensure Joseph and his team-mates are in the best place to succeed throughout the season.”