Welsh karting star Matthew Rees will step into single-seater racing this year with JHR Developments in British Formula 4.
The 15-year-old was a frontrunner on the British Cadet karting scene before switching to international competitions in OK Junior karts in 2018 with the crack Ricky Flynn Motorsport team.
He moved to KR Sport for 2019, but his karting career was then scaled back as the result of a family illness and he instead switched focus to an F4 test programme with JHR.
“I am really looking forward to getting out on track with JHR Developments this season,” said Rees.
“It is very different from karting with the tyres and aero, but I think it has been going well and it is a style of driving that I am getting used to.
“I have also been using the JHR sim as it is useful to help improve and learn the tracks we are racing on.
“Thruxton, where we start the season, is an easy circuit to learn but hard to master so I am really looking forward to getting out there and seeing what I can do.
“JHR has some great results there recently with lots of wins so I hope that can continue this year as well.”
Rees joins Anglo-American karting graduate McKenzy Cresswell in JHR’s British F4 line-up.
“We are really happy to welcome Matthew to the team officially, after spending lots of time with him over the past 12 months as he tests and gets himself used to F4 machinery,” JHR’s team principal Steve Hunter added.
“He showed speed in karting and was definitely one to watch, and we are really pleased with how he is adapting to single-seaters.”